Cignal (pronounced as ''signal'') is a Philippine
satellite television
Satellite television is a service that delivers television programming to viewers by relaying it from a communications satellite orbiting the Earth directly to the viewer's location. The signals are received via an outdoor parabolic antenna comm ...
and
IPTV
Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is the delivery of television content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. This is in contrast to delivery through traditional terrestrial, satellite, and cable television formats. Unlike downloaded med ...
provider, owned by
Cignal TV Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
MediaQuest Holdings Inc. under the
PLDT
PLDT, Inc., formerly known as the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company ( fil, Kompanya ng Teleponong Pangmalayuan ng Pilipinas), is a Philippine telecommunications, internet and digital service holdings company. It is one of the country's ...
Beneficial Trust Fund.
Cignal's prepaid electronic loading system is powered by
Smart Communications Inc. Cignal uses
VideoGuard
VideoGuard (sometimes referred to simply as ''NDS''), produced by NDS, is a digital encryption system for use with conditional access television broadcasting. It is used on digital satellite television systems - some of which are operated by News ...
encryption system to protect its content from signal piracy. It uses the
SES-7
SES-7 (also formerly known as ProtoStar-2 / Indostar-2) is a commercial communications satellite operated by SES World Skies, then SES S.A.
Spacecraft
ProtoStar-2 is a geosynchronous communications satellite built by Boeing. It is a BSS-60 ...
satellite to provide optimal coverage directly to the target markets.
History
Prior to the launch, the PLDT group had already intended to establish its own satellite television service after its media arm MediaQuest Holdings sold its stake in Beyond Cable Holdings to the
Lopez Group, and a failed attempt on the acquisition of Philippine Multimedia Systems, Inc. (PMSI, owner of
Dream Satellite TV
Dream Satellite TV was the first all-digital Direct-To-Home (DTH) television broadcasting service via satellite in the Philippines.
Broadcasting from the Dream Broadcast Center located at the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga. Content is re ...
) from businessman and then-PLDT chairman Antonio "Tonyboy" O. Cojuangco.
Using the satellite broadcasting franchise of Mediascape (formerly GV Broadcasting System), the new service was named Cignal and formally began its operations on February 1, 2009. PLDT spent PH₱1 billion for the rollout of the service.
During its first years, Cignal transmitted its broadcast with over 20 SD channels and HD channels via
NSS-11 satellite transponder service.
In 2015, Cignal had reached 1 million subscribers.
Satellite transponder transmission
From 2009, Cignal broadcasts on NSS-11 satellite transponder service. But since 2012, Cignal utilizes additional broadcast on the SES-7 transponder service.
Competition
At present, Cignal competes in the DTH service against
Global Satellite Technology Services'
G Sat
G-Sat (''Global Satellite'') is a subscription-based direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service commercially available in the Philippines. G-Sat is owned by Global Satellite Technology Services (GSTS), registered in the Philippines with t ...
, formerly
Sky Cable Corporation
Sky Cable Corporation, doing business as Sky, is a Filipino telecommunications company based in Diliman, Quezon City. A subsidiary of the media conglomerate ABS-CBN, the company offers broadband, cable and satellite television services under ...
's
Sky Direct
Sky Direct was a direct-broadcast satellite subscription television service in the Philippines owned and operated by Sky, a subsidiary of ABS-CBN. Sky Cable had been eyeing for a DBS service and considered on acquiring Dream Satellite TV from A ...
was their competitor but was decommissioned on June 30, 2020, via alias cease-and-desist order.
Sports teams
*
Cignal HD Spikers Cignal HD Spikers may refer to:
* Cignal HD Spikers (men's team), Filipino men's volleyball team
* Cignal HD Spikers (women's team), Filipino women's volleyball team
{{disambiguation ...
(women's volleyball team)
*
Cignal HD Spikers Cignal HD Spikers may refer to:
* Cignal HD Spikers (men's team), Filipino men's volleyball team
* Cignal HD Spikers (women's team), Filipino women's volleyball team
{{disambiguation ...
(men's volleyball team)
* Cignal-
Ateneo (formerly Cignal HD Hawkeyes) (
PBA D-League
The PBA Developmental League, or PBA D-League, is the Philippine Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization.
History
The PBA D-League was conceptualized after the collapse of the proposed merger between the Philip ...
)
* Cignal Ultra (
Esports team)
See also
*
PLDT
PLDT, Inc., formerly known as the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company ( fil, Kompanya ng Teleponong Pangmalayuan ng Pilipinas), is a Philippine telecommunications, internet and digital service holdings company. It is one of the country's ...
*
Smart Communications Inc.
*
Sky Cable
Sky Cable (stylized as SKYcable) is a cable television service of Sky Cable Corporation in the Philippines. It covers areas across the country with both digital and analog cable services, and it has 700,000 subscribers, controlling 45% of ...
*
Home Cable
Home Cable was a cable television service in the Philippines. It covered parts of Metro Manila from April 27, 1992, until its closure on June 30, 2005, when it was folded into Sky Cable's operations.
Beyond Cable Holdings, a 50-50 joint venture ...
(defunct)
*
Sky Direct
Sky Direct was a direct-broadcast satellite subscription television service in the Philippines owned and operated by Sky, a subsidiary of ABS-CBN. Sky Cable had been eyeing for a DBS service and considered on acquiring Dream Satellite TV from A ...
(defunct)
*
MediaQuest Holdings
MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. is a Philippine-based media conglomerate that provides radio and television broadcasting, as well as direct-to-home satellite services and print media. Though an affiliate of telecommunications company PLDT, MediaQ ...
*
DirecTV
DirecTV (trademarked as DIRECTV) is an American multichannel video programming distributor based in El Segundo, California. Originally launched on June 17, 1994, its primary service is a digital satellite service serving the United States. I ...
*
Destiny Cable
Destiny Cable (formerly Global Destiny Cable and stylized as DESTINY CABLE) was a direct-to-home cable television subscription service based in Quezon City. Destiny Cable was the 2nd largest cable TV provider in the Philippines. It was owned by ...
*
G Sat
G-Sat (''Global Satellite'') is a subscription-based direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service commercially available in the Philippines. G-Sat is owned by Global Satellite Technology Services (GSTS), registered in the Philippines with t ...
References
MediaQuest Holdings
Cignal TV
High-definition television
Direct broadcast satellite services
Telecommunications companies established in 2009
Mass media companies established in 2009
Television in the Philippines
Philippine companies established in 2009
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