A1 Telekom Austria Group and BBC Studios have revealed that they will extend their partnership in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

The two have renewed the distribution agreements for the existing BBC Earth and BBC First channels on the A1 pay-TV platforms until 2025 and also established a technical partnership: A1 Group´s Broadcasting division will provide technical satellite services for premium drama channel BBC First in the CEE region (excluding Poland), delivering BBC First channel to cable, IPTV and DTH operators channel within the footprint of the Eutelsat 16A satellite.

Elena Petrova, Head of Broadcast & Sat Services at A1 Telekom Austria Group, commented: “We are delighted to extend our strategic cooperation with BBC Studios and distribute their high-quality content within our territories. With A1´s direct2home platform services, we provide numerous TV broadcasters with robust and reliable technical broadcasting services worldwide. We are very excited and proud that BBC Studios has chosen us as its European technical partner for their flagship channel BBC First. We are looking forward to our fruitful cooperation in future”.

BBC Earth channel’s footprint will be extended in the region. Previously available via A1 in North Macedonia (A1 Macedonia) and Slovenia (A1 Slovenia), the channel will now be available also in Croatia (A1 Croatia). The agreement will also see an enhanced SVOD offering from BBC Studios on A1’s platforms.

Zbigniew Pruski, commercial director BBC Studios CEE, elaborated: “A1 Telekom Austria Group is an important partner for BBC Studios in the region and I am excited to see that our cooperation is growing. Our latest agreements have not only granted BBC Studios a solid satellite provider for our best British drama channel BBC First, but also allowed a wider reach for BBC Earth – the best destination for anyone who likes to explore the natural world and be astonished by its complexity and beauty”.