French overseas territories pay-TV provider Canal Plus Overseas has contracted multiple transponders and signed a long-term agreement with satellite operator SES for its subsidiary Canal Plus Afrique, the operator announced.

   The deal will see the SES-4 satellite distribute the Canal Plus/CanalSat pay-TV bouquet of channels in Africa from the 338 degrees East orbital slot. The contract with SES includes renewed and additional capacity to allow Canal Plus Overseas to extend its offer and migrate the pay-TV bouquet from its current NSS-7 spacecraft to the upcoming SES-4 satellite. The broadcaster said this would eliminate the need to change the orbital position and re-point customer dishes.

   SES-4, built by Space System/Loral, will be launched on board an ILS/Proton booster from Baikonur, Kazakhstan in the fourth quarter of this year. The spacecraft carries 52 C-band transponders as well as 72 Ku-band transponders. SES-4 will replace the NSS-7 spacecraft, releasing this satellite for new missions at other orbital positions.