Astro (company) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn. Bhd.

Current logo, which is a revision of 2003 logo, used since 2012.
Astro headquarters in Technology Park Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Mass media Digital media Entertainment
Founded	1 June 1996; 29 years ago (1996-06-01)
Founder	Ananda Krishnan
Headquarters	All Asia Broadcast Centre (AABC), Technology Park Malaysia, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Area served	Nationwide
Key people	Tunku Ali Redhauddin (Chairman) Euan Daryl Smith (CEO)
Products	OTT Streaming Direct broadcast satellite Internet Service Provider
Revenue	RM5.613 million (Q1 2017)
Operating income	RM777.71 million (2014)
Net income	RM447.95 million (2014)
Parent	Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad

Astro is a big Malaysian company that provides TV channels and internet services. It's known as the All-Asian Satellite Television and Radio Operator. Astro offers satellite TV, streaming TV, and internet TV (IPTV).

Astro is part of Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad. It is run by MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems Sdn. Bhd. Their main offices are in Kuala Lumpur and Cyberjaya. Astro is one of the two main media companies in Malaysia, along with Media Prima.

Astro has launched several new services over the years:

• Astro B.yond in 2009 for high-definition (HD) TV.
• Astro IPTV in 2011 for people who couldn't get satellite service.
• Astro Ultra in 2019 for super clear Ultra HD (UHD) viewing.
• Astro Ulti in 2021, which will replace Astro B.yond in the future.

Astro used to operate in other countries too. It was in Indonesia from 2006 to 2008 as Astro Nusantara. It also operated in Brunei from 2000 to 2022 as Kristal-Astro. In 2016, about 71% of homes in Malaysia used Astro services. The Malaysian government gave Astro an exclusive license to be the only pay-TV provider until 2017.

History of Astro

Astro received its license to operate in June 1994. It was first planned to launch in 1995 but started later. The company, then called All-Asia Satellite Television and Radio Operator (ASTRO), officially launched on 25 September 1996. It offered 22 TV channels and 8 radio stations.

Before its launch, Astro hoped to make a profit within three years. They aimed to have 700,000 subscribers. After launching, Astro also planned to offer internet speed to its customers by early 1997.

Astro made an agreement with Maybank to make it easier for customers to pay their monthly bills. They could pay using phone services or automatic bank payments. Astro also planned to open showrooms across the country. They wanted to reach 400 installations by January 1997.

In April 1997, Astro partnered with MOCCIS Trading. This partnership helped market Astro's services to MOCCIS members through a monthly payment plan. Astro also invested RM25 million to improve its services for local and global markets.

In July 1997, Astro signed a deal with Faber Group Berhad. This allowed Astro to provide its satellite TV services to seven Sheraton hotels. From September to November 1997, Astro offered special deals on installation fees.

In December 1997, Astro worked with Oracle Corporation. Oracle helped Astro create a web-based database for its business. Astro also spent RM100 million to offer price discounts to its customers.

Between 2000 and 2006, Astro shared airtime with TV Pendidikan, an educational TV channel. This channel was shown on Astro's platform. Later, in 2007, TV Pendidikan moved to TV9.

By 2000, Astro had more than 300,000 home subscribers. They aimed to reach one million subscribers in the next two years. Astro also invested over RM1 billion to build a digital broadcasting facility. They spent RM350 million to make their Digital Multimedia System (DMS) affordable for Malaysian families.

In January 2000, Astro started a joint venture with Kristal Sdn. Bhd. from Brunei. This led to the launch of Kristal-Astro. However, this service stopped operating in 2022. By June 2001, Astro's total subscribers grew to 600,000.

In April 2002, Astro signed a deal with Scripps Networks Interactive. This allowed Astro to show six TV series from HGTV in Malaysia and Brunei. In September 2002, Astro reduced its staff by 10% through a voluntary program.

Astro also tried to expand into Indonesia. They partnered with Lippo Group in 2005. Their satellite TV service in Indonesia, called Astro Nusantara, launched in March 2006. Astro invested RM500 million in this operation. However, Astro Nusantara only lasted two years and stopped in September 2008.

On 1 October 2007, Astro changed all its channel numbers from 2 digits to 3 digits. This was to make space for more channels. In December 2009, Astro launched its high-definition (HD) service, Astro B.yond. This service came with a new decoder and HD channels.

Astro partnered with TIME dotCom Berhad in December 2010. This partnership helped bring broadband and IPTV services to Klang Valley and Penang. In 2013, Astro also agreed with Telekom Malaysia. This allowed two Astro SuperSport channels to be shown on Telekom Malaysia's pay-TV service, HyppTV (now Unifi TV).

On 1 December 2014, Astro launched a home shopping channel called Go Shop. This was a joint venture with GS Retail Co. Ltd. from South Korea. Go Shop stopped operating on 12 October 2023. This was part of Astro's plan to adjust to changes in how people shop.

In 2017, Astro partnered with CJ E&M from South Korea. They worked together to create content and events for the ASEAN region. Astro also partnered with Karangkraf, a publishing company. They formed a company called Nu Ideaktiv to produce content.

In 2019, Astro partnered with the Chinese streaming platform IQIYI. Astro got the rights to share IQIYI's content in Malaysia. Astro also helped with marketing and sales for IQIYI. On 1 April 2020, Astro changed its channel numbers again. This was to highlight its 100 HD channels.

In 2021, Astro partnered with Netflix. This allowed Netflix's service to be available on Astro's platform. This partnership expanded Astro's content offerings.

Services and Products

Astro B.yond

Astro launched its high-definition (HD) platform, Astro B.yond, on 11 December 2009. This service cost RM200 million to set up. It came with a PVR (Personal Video Recorder) that had a 500 GB hard disk. This allowed customers to record two live shows at once. They could also rewind and pause live TV.

Astro Go

Astro's streaming service started in 2012 as Astro On-The-Go (AOTG). This app allowed customers to watch Astro's TV channels, live events, and on-demand videos on their phones and tablets. It was also made available for international users in March 2013.

The app was renamed Astro Go on 31 March 2017. It got a big update with new features. These included an easier-to-use design and better video quality. Astro Go also suggests content based on what you've watched before. You can even download shows to watch offline.

Astro Fibre

Astro started offering internet services in 2011. They worked with TIME Dotcom for their Astro B.yond IPTV service. In 2019, Astro partnered with its sister company Maxis. This led to the "Astro & Broadband" service. In 2022, Astro became an Internet Service Provider (ISP) itself. It now offers standalone internet through Astro Fibre. They also have BIZfibre services for businesses.

Astro NJOI

Astro NJOI is Malaysia's first free-to-view satellite TV service by Astro. It was launched with the Government of Malaysia on 18 February 2012. When it started, it had 18 TV channels and 19 radio stations. Today, NJOI offers 26 standard-definition (SDTV) channels, 5 high-definition (HD) channels, and 26 radio channels.

Connected Boxes

In November 2019, Astro launched the Ultra Box. This was their first set-top box that customers could install themselves. It works with satellite or broadband/Wi-Fi. Its main features are 4K UHD viewing and access to cloud-based recording. You can also watch video-on-demand content.

Astro added another set-top box, the Ulti Box, in 2021. It has similar features to the Ultra Box. The main difference is that the Ulti Box only offers HD resolution, not 4K UHD.

Commercial Subscription Policy

Astro offers a special license for businesses. This license allows them to show Astro content to the public in their shops or offices.

Awards and Accolades

See also

In Spanish: Astro (televisión) para niños

• Television in Malaysia
• Digital television in Malaysia
• Kristal-Astro

Other pay-TV service provider:

• Mega TV
• U Television (formerly known as MiTV)
• Unifi TV
• MYTV Broadcasting