Direct Broadcast Satellite Systems in Europe

The 1977 World Broadcasting Satellite Administrative Radio Conference (WARC'77) outlined the rules for national DBS systems in Europe. Since that time, technological developments and economic uncertainties have influenced all of the proposed national systems. This paper reports on the status of each national DBS project, outlining the key uncertainties and highlighting the current directions of the individual ventures. The DBS systems based on the WARC'77 Plan are then contrasted with the current medium-power satellite projects and the Eutelsat communications satellite system with emphasis on the market, technical, and regulatory aspects.