Parabole Réunion

Parabole Réunion was a satellite television bouquet launched on 18 February 1999, serving the French overseas department of Réunion and the wider Indian Ocean region. It emerged alongside Canal Satellite (CanalSat) after the 1998 launch of the Eutelsat W2 satellite, which was oriented toward the Indian Ocean. While CanalSat launched on 19 November 1998, Parabole Réunion's launch was delayed due to financial difficulties encountered by its founder, Paul Olsen, who sought backing from Mauritian financiers and the French satellite platform TPS. The service began satellite links in January 1999 and officially launched the following month. The bouquet offered a range of television and radio channels, including TPS channels such as TPS Star. In 2006, TPS was absorbed by Canal Satellite, but the French competition authority (Autorité de la Concurrence) required Canal to continue supplying TPS channels or equivalent channels to Parabole Réunion. However, Parabole Réunion argued that it was disadvantaged because the TPS channels had been stripped of their content and the replacement channels were also available on CanalSat Réunion, preventing exclusivity. The company sued Vivendi's subsidiary multiple times in the late 2000s but lost all its cases. In 2016, Parabole Réunion diversified and became an internet service provider in addition to its satellite television offerings. In 2017, the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris confirmed fines against Canal+, which was ordered to pay a total of 37 million euros to Parabole Réunion for failing to honor commitments made to the competition authority regarding the obligation to continue supplying TPS channels. On 29 October 2025, during a press conference, Parabole Réunion announced its closure due to poor financial results. The service ceased operations on 30 November at midnight, with its devices and website shutting down after 26 years of service. At the time of closure, the board of directors included President Thierry Lagesse, Vice-President Paul Olsen, Director General for Réunion Samuel Le Mercier, Director General for Mauritius Jimmy Hope, and Administrator Aventure Capital Partners Ltd. represented by Valérie Cheong Took.

Parabole Réunion was a satellite television bouquet in the Indian Ocean. At a time when Réunion had only three channels (Antenne Réunion, RFO Réunion, and Tempo), the launch of the Eutelsat W2 satellite in 1998 oriented toward the Indian Ocean saw two satellite bouquet projects launch: Canal Satellite and Parabole Réunion. While CanalSat launched on 19 November 1998, Parabole Réunion's launch was delayed because the operator encountered financial problems and its creator, Paul Olsen, went in search of support. Satellite links were established in January 1999 before the bouquet's launch on 18 February 1999, with support from Mauritian financing and also from the company TPS, which allowed the Réunion satellite bouquet to carry its channels, such as TPS Star. In 2006, TPS was absorbed by Canal Satellite, but Parabole Réunion continued to exist in Réunion; the Autorité de la Concurrence required Canal to continue providing Parabole with TPS channels or equivalent channels. However, Parabole Réunion considered itself the loser in this situation, believing that the TPS channels had been stripped of their content and that the replacement channels were also available on CanalSat Réunion, preventing them from having exclusivity. It then sued the Vivendi subsidiary in court several times in the late 2000s and lost all its cases. In 2016, the satellite bouquet diversified and also became an internet service provider. In 2017, the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris confirmed the fines against Canal+, which owed a total of 37 million euros to Parabole Réunion due to non-compliance with commitments made with the competition authority regarding the obligation to continue providing TPS channels. During a press conference held on 29 October 2025, Parabole Réunion announced its closure following weak financial results, and on 30 November at midnight, its devices and website shut down after 26 years of service.

• Eutelsat W2 satellite launched, oriented toward the Indian Ocean; Canal Satellite and Parabole Réunion projects emerge.

• CanalSat launches.

• Satellite links established for Parabole Réunion.

• Parabole Réunion bouquet officially launches.

• TPS absorbed by Canal Satellite; competition authority requires Canal to continue supplying TPS channels to Parabole Réunion.

• Parabole Réunion sues Vivendi subsidiary multiple times, loses all cases.

• Parabole Réunion diversifies and becomes an internet service provider.

• Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris confirms Canal+ fines; Canal+ owes 37 million euros to Parabole Réunion.

• Parabole Réunion announces closure due to weak financial results.

• Parabole Réunion ceases operations at midnight after 26 years.

Regional satellite television and internet provider for Réunion and the Indian Ocean.

• Satellite television bouquet

  Television and radio channels delivered via satellite, including TPS channels such as TPS Star.

• Internet service provider

  Internet access services added in 2016.

1. 1Parabole Réunion - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Parabole Réunion - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org