[Satellite TODAY 07-23-10]  Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSB) revenues increased 6.1 percent to $43.9 million in its 2010 second quarter ending in June, according to its latest financial results, issued July 21.
    TSB said its revenues have been driven by the continued growth of its HDTV services in the Nordic region, as well as price increases for service delivery.
    While the company also reported that its DTH television subscribers dropped by 15,000 during the quarter, revenue from Canal Digital, its biggest customer in Norway, increased by 11 percent. TSB says it has achieved 5 percent year-on-year revenue growth so far in 2010.
    TSB CEO Cato Halsaa recently told Satellite News that, after launching its Thor 6 satellite last year, the operator could be announcing a follow-up satellite in the near future due to better than expected take-up of capacity on Thor 6. “We have sold around ten transponders (on Thor 6). As of today, we have sold more capacity on Thor 6, than was in our original forecast. The better than expected take-up of capacity on Thor 6 have accelerated plans for expansion capacity. We are firming up our plans for a new satellite. We will still have some capacity available for growth in the Nordic region. The transponder utilization rate for our fleet is around 80 percent.”