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Private company

Orbit Communications Company

Logo: The logo is from the following website: http://www.satellietwinkel.nl/orbit/contents/media/Orbit_logo_front.jpg, Non-free logo, via Wikipedia3

Privately owned pay TV network

Orbit Communications Company was a privately owned pay television network headquartered in Bahrain. Owned by Saudi Arabia–based Mawarid Holding (via Digital Media Systems), it was the first fully digital, multi-channel, multilingual, pay television service in the Middle East and North Africa and was also the world's first fully end-to-end digital TV network. Launched in 1994, it was originally situated in Tor Sapienza, Rome, Italy as the location was considered entirely suitable to build a satellite farm.2 It ceased to exist in 2009.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1994Founded1
  • Industrytelecommunications1
  • HeadquartersManama1

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Orbit Communications Company was a privately owned pay television network headquartered in Bahrain. Owned by Saudi Arabia–based Mawarid Holding (via Digital Media Systems), it was the first fully digital, multi-channel, multilingual, pay television service in the Middle East and North Africa and was also the world's first fully end-to-end digital TV network. Launched in 1994, it was originally situated in Tor Sapienza, Rome, Italy as the location was considered entirely suitable to build a satellite farm. Orbit employed around 600 employees who were largely a combination of British and Italian staff with several Arabic speaking nations also represented. Orbit broadcast in several languages around the world including English, Arabic, French, and Filipino.2

Corporate structure

Orbit Communications Company sits at the top of its group. 2 entities, 2 countries on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

  • Orbit Communications Company Manama
    • OSN Subsidiary · Dubai

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

What it owns

What Orbit Communications Company reports owning in its annual reports to the SEC: buildings, land and equipment, real estate and locations, investments, intangible assets and inventory, at the end of its latest fiscal year and a year before.

Stakes and holdings (Wikidata)

Things Wikidata records the company as owning, with the share when stated.1

Products and brands

  • satellite television

Listed on Wikidata.1

Subsidiaries and ownership

Subsidiaries

From Wikidata.1

Acquisitions

On 12 July 2009, Showtime Arabia and Orbit Communications Company announced a merger that created the “biggest Pay-TV platform” in the Middle East and North Africa.

The newly formed company, which is called OSN, is an equal partnership that would offer 70 exclusive channels featuring new movies, sports, series, Arabic content and international shows.

New customers can subscribe to packages featuring Showtime Arabia and Orbit's programs, while existing subscribers will be able to either retain or upgrade their content. The company will offer HD channels, video on demand and other interactive services.

From Wikipedia’s article on Orbit Communications Company, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 2009Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1994Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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