Nova (Forthnet)

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Nova
TypePublic
IndustryTelecommunications
Founded1995
FounderFoundation for Research & Technology – Hellas
Minoan Lines
Headquarters,
Greece
Area served
Greece and Cyprus
Key people
Nikos Stathopoulos (Chairman)
Dimitrios Tzelepis (CEO)
ProductsFixedline telephony
Broadband
IPTV
Satellite television
Television show
Pay television
IT services
RevenueDecrease262 million (2019)[1]
Decrease€37 million (2019)[1]
Decrease€–28 million (2019)[1]
Total assetsDecrease€355 million (2019)[1]
Total equityDecrease€–226 million (2019)[1]
Number of employees
959 (2019)[1]
ParentUnited Group
Websitewww.nova.gr

Nova Telecommunication S.M.S.A. (ex. Forthnet) is a telecommunication company in Greece which provides broadband, television and fixed telephony. It also offers satellite services in Cyprus. It is traded on the Athens Exchange until its delisting in 2021.[2]

In June 2016 the services for clients and SMEs were rebranded under the Nova brand.[3] The company gave up Forthnet brand completely in June 2020.

On 29 May 2020 BC Partners' United Group agreed to purchase a majority stake in Nova from a consortium of 4 Greek banks.[4] As of 29 April 2021 is the sore shareholder.

On October 15 2021, Nova announce that they would be shutting down their servers and their commercial releases on December 15 in the same year, with all of their stores closing permanently on the same day of the announcement.[5]

History[]

Forthnet was established in October 1995 by Minoan Lines SA and the Foundation for Research & Technology – Hellas.

Nova brand was launched in Greece in December 1999 for the satellite television platform by Naspers, a South African company, who also operated MultiChoice. In 2002 Nova absorbed the Alpha Digital satellite television platform.[6] On April 14, 2008, Forthnet reached an agreement with Naspers to purchase Netmed, the parent company of Nova satellite television platform in Greece and Cyprus for €430 million.[7]

In 2010, Nova Greece had 363,679 subscribers.[8] HD service counted 52,968 subscribers in 2011.

In the end June 2015 the platform had 509,088 subscribers, while one year later, June 2016 it had a decrease to 460,252.[9]

In July 2017 it was referred that Nova had 430,000 subscribers.[10]

In 2020 Nova had 551,000 broadband internet subscribers and 457,000 pay television subscribers.

On March 2021 it was announced that Nova had 456,500 pay television subscribers making it the second largest TV provider.[11]

Satellite Technical information[]

Nova broadcasts in standard definition using the DVB-S MPEG-2 format and (since September 2010) in high definition using the DVB-S MPEG-4 format through Hot Bird 8 satellite at 13°E.[12] The service is encrypted with Irdeto conditional access system. Until recently the subscribers had the option of buying a specific set-top box, or using any DVB-S Irdeto enabled set-top box, but since September 2009 new subscribers are only allowed to use the company's own set-top box. This change of policy has raised some significant controversy. Nova has also introduced a digital video service, accessible only through a (different) specific set-top box. This service requires an extra subscription fee but also provides the subscriber with the option to watch two different channels on two different TV sets in the same household.

Digital satellite receivers[]

Nova Satellite Package includes digital satellite receivers manufactured by Pace. The current models are NovaBox HD 831 and NovaBox HD PVR 865. Older models were Panasat 1110, Panasat 910, as well as the older Panasat 720i, Panasat 700 and Panasat 642, manufactured by Panasat.

Nova channels[]

Nova operates 4 Nova Cinema and 9 Nova Sports pay television channels and an entertainment channel Nova Life. Nova Sport channels are also available on Wind and Vodafone in Greece. Since 2012 all Nova channels are available through CytaVision in Cyprus.

Nova Cyprus[]

Nova has been providing satellite television and internet services in Cyprus since 2004. Most television channels are available, except generalist television channels from Greece which do not have a broadcasting license for Cyprus.

Logos[]

Forthnet logo orig.gif Forthnet logo.png Forthnet2017 Logo.png
1995-2007 2007-2017 2017-2021

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Forthnet Annual Report 2019
  2. ^ "FORTH". helex.gr. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  3. ^ "Forthnet opts for Nova brand name". broadbandtvnews.com. 25 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Nova-Forthnet changed hands". news247.gr. 30 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Shut down of Nova servers". Archived from the original on 2021-10-15. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  6. ^ "Από τη "λύση" στη... συμφωνία". Rizospastis (in Greek). 2002-09-12. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  7. ^ "Naspers sells NetMed and withdraws Cautionary - Update". rttnews.com. 30 June 2008.
  8. ^ "Greek satellite subs at all time high". Broadband TV News. 2011-04-18. Retrieved 2011-03-17.
  9. ^ "Θηλιά στη συνδρομητική τηλεόραση η κυβερνητική φορολόγηση". digitaltvinfo. 2016-09-05.
  10. ^ "Η ΕΡΤ στήριγμα της κεντρικής διαχείρισης". Cnn Greece. 2017-07-10.
  11. ^ TEAM, ΦΩΣ. "Cosmote – Nova: Πόσους συνδρομητές έχει κάθε μία, πόσους έχουν Vodafone, Wind". Fosonline.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  12. ^ "Eutelsat Hotbird 8". Retrieved 2008-07-07.

External links[]

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