MUMBAI: The Bhutan government has expanded the reach of its BBS Television by linking it to Insat 4A. The service is now provided through the cable service and those without cable connections can download the transmission with a dish and a receiver.

The International Telecommunication Union has aided the uplinking facility with US $ 300,000, while the Government of India has agreed to give BBSC the satellite transport hiring charges for three years, amounting to about Nu. 18 million. According to media reports, a total of 35 countries in Asia and the Middle East have confirmed that they are receiving BBS TV live transmission.

Speaking at the launch, BBSC MD Mingbo Dukpa expressed his hopes that the channel expansion would effectively fight the foreign TV channel invasion. "Today there are over 40 foreign channels available, inundating us with numerous foreign programmes, advertisement and news. With its nation-wide reach BBS TV can now counter the so-called audio-visual invasion by foreign channels," he said.

Viewers in Kanglung and Yonphula in Trashigang, Yadi and Drametse in Mongar, Paro, Phuentsholing and Thimphu will also be able to catch the transmission on Yagi antenna through a terrestrial transmitter. BBSC, reportedly, plans to reinstall these terrestrial transmitters in remote areas that do not have cable television.

BBS television was launched on 2 June 1999, with a one-hour broadcast in Thimphu. It was merged with the radio in the initial phase.