Scandinavian Pay-TV operator Viasat is taking additional capacity on NSAB’s Sirius at 5 degrees East to simultaneously launch a digital TV platform in the Baltic region alongside the already announced Nordic package. Launch date is September 1.

Hans-Holger Albrecht, President and CEO, Viasat Broadcasting, says “We feel this is the right time to introduce digital television in the Baltics. We are enjoying great success with our TV3 advertising financed network in the Baltic area. By using 5 degrees East we will build on that success, giving our Baltic customers access to the same pay TV services now being introduced in the Nordic countries.” The Baltic package will launch with what Albrecht described as the “strategic partnership” of NSAB.

Baltic viewers will get access channels like TV3 and TV1000, as well as a number of third-party, not yet specified, channels. The digital package also incorporates Russia’s ORT International and what it describes as “other popular Russian channels”.