Satellite Providers' News Опции

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Eutelsat Powers up a new orbital position to drive expansion in high growth markets

Paris 28 July 2011 www.eutelsat.com

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced that it is expanding its commercial response to high-growth video, data, telecom and broadband markets with the opening of business at the 3° East orbital position. To support further long-term expansion, Eutelsat has selected Astrium to build a tri-band satellite, which will increase and diversify its resources for markets in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and South America. Called Eutelsat 3B, the satellite will operate in C, Ku and Ka-bands and be launched in early 2014.

In advance of Eutelsat 3B, resources on a satellite now called Eutelsat 3A were deployed this month to 3° East. This capacity is able to deliver users powerful coverage of Europe and North Africa for services that include GSM backhaul, data networks, IP backbone connectivity and maritime applications.

To complement Eutelsat’s capacity portfolio and geographic reach, the Eutelsat 3B satellite will add resources in three frequency bands connected to fixed and steerable antennas for maximum flexibility. With a single platform assembling Ku, C and Ka transponders, users will be able to select the most relevant frequency band for different types of service. Ku and C-band capacity will further consolidate Eutelsat’s response to broadcast and data markets that represent the two most dynamic applications in the Fixed Satellite Services sector. High throughput beams in the Ka-band, that will be individually steerable to regional and national markets and operated with scalable allocation of power and spectrum, will in addition support innovative applications in bandwidth-demanding markets.

Commenting on Eutelsat’s new programme, Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO, said. “By opening a new orbital position for business now with Eutelsat 3A, and securing varied and highly flexible capacity for the future with Eutelsat 3B, we are adding a new layer of diversity to the resources we can provide to multiple markets with long-term growth potential. This is an exciting step forward for Eutelsat. It underscores our commitment to pursuing an active investment strategy in innovative satellite programmes in order to win and retain the confidence of customers operating in differentiated and vibrant markets.”

Up to 51 transponders on Eutelsat 3B will be configured as follows:

• A Ku-band payload of up to 30 transponders will be connected to widebeam footprints over extended Europe and East Africa. A steerable beam will add further flexibility, with coverage possible of South America or African regions. This capacity will address video contribution, corporate networks, data and telecom markets.
• A C-band payload with 12 transponders connected to a pan-African beam will respond to continued high demand for capacity for telecom services.
• A Ka-band payload of nine transponders connected to steerable beams that are in particular expected to cover Africa and South America will meet expanding connectivity requirements for corporate networks and Internet access.

The Eutelsat 3B satellite will be based on the Astrium Eurostar 3000 platform. Weighing 6 tonnes at launch, the satellite will be designed with 15 year life expectancy. The investment required for this programme is included in Eutelsat's capital expenditure outlook for the period July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2014.

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Ukrainian TV Broadcaster Books Amos-3 Capacity

PARIS, Tue, 2 August, 2011 - amos-spacecom

A new Ukrainian direct-to-home television broadcaster has contracted with Spacecom of Israel to beam programming from Spacecom’s Amos-3 satellite at 4 degrees west in a multiyear agreement valued at up to $19 million, Tel Aviv-based Spacecom announced Aug. 2.

Under the agreement, Kiev-based Xtra TV becomes the latest Ukrainian broadcaster to sign up for Amos capacity. Jehuda Amir, Spacecom’s vice president for sales, said in a statement that Spacecom already carries seven of Ukraine’s 10 top-rated programs. A total of 30 Ukrainian television channels are already carried by the Amos spacecraft, Spacecom said.

Xtra TV Chief Executive Jim Phillipoff said the Ukrainian market appears ready to adopt pay television. “Our goal is to help Ukraine become one of the most technically developed [television] markets in Eastern Europe,” he said in a statement.

AMOS Satellites Launch Ukrainian DTH Platform: ‘Xtra TV’ Multi-Year Contract Worth Up To $19 Million

August 2, 2011 - amos-spacecom

Spacecom has signed an agreement with a European company to provide satellite services to a new DTH (Direct-to-Home) platform for the Ukrainian market under the ‘Xtra TV’ brand. Spacecom’s AMOS-3 satellite at 4°W will provide the services. The multi-year deal is valued up to $19 million.

Xtra TV, the new Ukrainian multi-channel platform, will broadcast close to 100 channels (including Free to Air) to the market, which is one of the last major European countries without a large and successful DTH provider. Currently, AMOS’ Ukrainian TV neighborhood has close to 30 of the Ukraine’s most highly rated channels, among them: Inter, 1+1, ICTV, STB, New Channel, K1 and NTN, making AMOS a strong player in the local satellite market.

The Xtra TV platform becomes the third European DTH service, and fourth overall, on the AMOS satellite fleet at the 4°W orbital position. Other leading DTH services on the AMOS fleet include Hungary’s T-Home SatTV and Slovakia’s Magio TV, both part of Deutsche Telekom group, and Israel’s Yes.

“We are excited to become part of the already strong AMOS brand in Ukraine with our new DTH platform: Xtra TV,” stated Jim Phillipoff, CEO of Xtra TV. “The Ukrainian market is ready for dynamic and progressive pay TV, and our goal is to help Ukraine become one of the most technically developed markets in Eastern Europe.”

“Adding this new DTH platform for the Ukraine reinforces the AMOS brand and presence in a key market for us in Central and Eastern Europe. AMOS currently transmits seven of the country’s top ten channels which represent 60% of the country’s TV rating,” remarked Jehuda Amir, Spacecom vice president, CIS sales. “Delivering high quality service on a powerful platform is one of our competitive advantages that elevates AMOS’ added value and grows our business.”

Spacecom president and CEO David Pollack commented, “We are continuing to fortify our capabilities as a leading multi-regional satellite operator in Central and Eastern Europe with a focus on the multi-channel DTH market. Concurrently, we are moving ahead with our strategic program to launch three satellites over the next three years.”

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SES Selects Newtec to Deliver Next Generation Ka-band Sat3Play® Technology for ASTRA2Connect

Newtec helps to close the digital divide by supplying the largest satellite broadband network in Europe with next generation Ka-band terminals and hubs

Luxembourg/Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, 10 August 2011 www.ses.com

SES S. A. (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) and the satellite communications technology specialist Newtec today announced that they have signed an agreement to provide Europe's largest satellite broadband network ASTRA2Connect with next generation Ka-band Sat3Play® terminals and related hub infrastructure.

SES is currently delivering Broadband Internet and Voice-over-IP services to over 80,000 private households and small businesses across Europe using Newtec's technology in Ku-band and offering download speeds up to 6 Mbps.

With this new agreement, Newtec will be providing the next generation Ka-band terminals featuring higher download speeds beyond 10 Mbps and Newtec's Point&Play® self-installation capability. Newtec will also enhance existing ASTRA2Connect end user terminals in Ku-band to enable download capabilities of up to 10 Mbps. These terminals are "Ka-Ready" providing an easy and low cost migration path from Ku-band to Ka-band.

The upgrade of existing end user terminals and the next generation Ka-band terminals featuring speeds beyond 10 Mbps are part of SES's strategy to bring its successful ASTRA2Connect service to the next level. Starting in the fourth quarter of 2012, SES will further increase the performance of its ASTRA2Connect service by using additional multiple spot beam Ka-band capacity onboard its ASTRA 2F, 2E and 2G spacecraft to be launched between 2012 and 2014 and located at 28.2 degrees East.

"We now have the capabilities to enhance our existing service offerings to 10Mbps", said Patrick Biewer, Managing Director of ASTRA Broadband Services (ABBS) - SES's broadband subsidiary. "With Ka-band capacity coming online we are investing in future proof technology to support even higher speeds and extended services," he said. "Efficient and reliable technology provides the foundation for this strategy. With our new hardware partnerships now in place, we will strengthen our service offering and help us to further grow our customer base."

Serge Van Herck, CEO of Newtec, is convinced that Newtec's Ka-band Sat3Play terminals and hubs are helping SES to further extend its reach into areas poorly connected by terrestrial means, whilst making its service more competitive. Van Herck said: "The future of consumer broadband services over satellite is Ka-band. This is simply because the total capacity offered by other commercial frequency bands cannot possibly cope with new demands. ASTRA2Connect's download speed and volume has increased over the years and these new Sat3Play Ka-band terminals will enable a further expansion to its offering."

Newtec and SES will be showcasing the Ka-band terminal at the IBC2011 show taking place at Amsterdam RAI between 8 - 13 September. Visit SES at IBC2011, Hall 1 Booth B 51.

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SatLink to handle Amos-5 operations

16.59 Europe/London, August 28, 2011 By Julian Clover

SatLink is to take charge of the Amos 5 satellite, having been appointed by operator Spacecom as the prime provider of satellite engineering services including Telemetry Tracking & Commanding and In Orbit Testing.

The operations, including a Master Control Room, will be handled from Satlink’s facilities in Jerusalem.

“We are proud to closely collaborate with Spacecom for the Amos-5’s operations following its launch and forward over its lifetime as it operates over Africa and we look forward to offering our customers delivery to Africa over this satellite,” remarked David Hochner, CEO of SatLink Communications.

SatLink already provides facilities for SES World Skies, SES Astra, AsiaSat and other craft in the Amos fleet.

Amos-5 is scheduled to launch later this year to the 17 degrees East orbital position from where it will deliver high-power C-band and Ku-band capacity to the entire African continent with connectivity to Europe and the Middle East.

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EUTELSAT ANNOUNCES DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT WITH EGYPTSAT FOR ITS TOOWAY™ SATELLITE BROADBAND SERVICE

Paris, 29 August 2011

Eutelsat Communications, (Euronext Paris: ETL), one of the world’s leading satellite operators, today announced a 6-year distribution agreement valued at €20 million between its Skylogic subsidiary and Egyptsat. The agreement enables Egyptsat to use the new-generation Tooway™ satellite service to provide broadband services to users beyond reach of terrestrial or wireless networks across Egypt.

With download speeds of up to 10 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 4 Mbps, Tooway™ satellite broadband will bring fast, reliable and affordable Internet access for Egyptsat customers in areas with limited alternative solutions for broadband. The Tooway™ solution consists of a satellite dish and a modem connected to the PC via Ethernet, giving customers Internet access with no need for a telephone line.

Set up in 2000, Egyptsat is a leading VSAT service provider in the Middle East and Africa. The company is a licensed VSAT operator in Egypt, providing Internet services to oil companies in Egypt and outside of Egypt for offshore locations. Tooway™ will complement the company’s product portfolio by offering satellite Internet solutions at competitive prices for small offices and home users in industrial and economic centres in the north of the country who can be served through the KA-SAT spotbeam allocated specifically for Egypt.

"Tooway™ is the best fit for Egypt’s new era, with Internet users increasing from 21 million to 25.4 million just after the 25th January revolution. With a price comparable to ADSL, Tooway™ is the passcode for this new era," said Dr. Mohamed Elghamry, CEO of Egyptsat. “The service is expected to meet the significant demand in the Egyptian territory and the region, where too many places are in deep need for high speed Internet at reasonable cost”.

Arduino Patacchini, CEO of Skylogic, added: “Tooway™ is the ideal broadband service to meet the needs of Egyptsat’s customers in rural and difficult to reach areas of the region. We are delighted to work with Egyptsat to extend broadband availability, and look forward to building a close and longstanding partnership which contributes to achieving a high-quality broadband environment in Egypt.”

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SES AND SEA&SPACE REACH AGREEMENT FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF ITS SATELLITE BROADBAND SERVICE IN CENTRAL AND WEST AFRICA

Luxembourg, 2 September 2011

SES S.A. (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) today announced an agreement with Sea&Space Exploration for the distribution of SES' proven satellite broadband service ASTRA2Connect in 20 countries in Central and West Africa. ASTRA2Connect will be distributed by Sea&Space's spin-off SatADSL through a specialized network of professional distributors based in Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

ASTRA2Connect, Europe's most successful satellite broadband network serving 80,000 end-users, is offered via distribution partners to end-customers and businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. SatADSL will provide this reliable and affordable satellite communication service in Central and West Africa to individuals and small businesses as well as to remote sites of corporate organizations.

"We are proud to offer our successful satellite-based broadband service ASTRA2Connect in Central and West Africa together with Sea&Space Exploration," said Patrick Biewer, Managing Director of ASTRA Broadband Services. "While the average penetration rates of terrestrial networks are low in Africa, broadband via satellite is immediately available for everyone within our reach. ASTRA2Connect can thus serve as a crucial telecommunication infrastructure for the region."

"We are fully committed to offer an affordable and high quality service to our African partners through the ASTRA2Connect platform," said Thierry Eltges, CEO of SatADSL. "The SatADSL service brings an innovative solution to African users currently having no equivalent choice. Africa's economy is rapidly growing and an increasing number of expanding companies in this region rely on telecommunication services best adapted to their needs. We are proud to participate in this process and allow more and more individuals and companies to connect to the world - thanks to the continuous improvement of our service."

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Amos gains Croatian client

11.27 Europe/London, September 5, 2011 By Chris Dziadul

Amos has begun to distribute the Croatian channel KLasik TV from the 4 degrees West orbital position.

KLasik TV was launched at the end of October 2010 and is currently offered by all major platforms in the country to a total of 400,000 subscribers.

Featuring ‘oldies’ and classic programming, it is also becoming increasingly popular with viewers outside the country.

Its aim is to have a presence in all parts of the former Yugoslavia by the end of this year and major penetration in 2012.

The channel is being distributed by Spacecom’s Amos in cooperation with the Croatian state owned OiV Transmitters and Communications Ltd.

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EUTELSAT AND ESER TELEKOM ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT TO EXPAND REACH OF TOOWAY™ SATELLITE BROADBAND INTO TURKEY AND NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES

Paris, Istanbul, 7 September 2011

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL), Europe's leading satellite operator, today announced a three-year distribution agreement valued at €5 million between its Skylogic subsidiary and Eser Telekom to provide the new generation Tooway™ satellite broadband service in Turkey, Iraq, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Eser Telekom will use the Tooway™ service, delivered via Eutelsat’s KA-SAT satellite, to provide high-speed broadband to the many enterprises and consumers beyond reach of terrestrial networks across the region. Working with local governments, Eser Telekom also plans to develop innovative KA-SAT-based solutions specifically for public administrations. The new agreement marks the first major contract in Turkey, Iraq, Georgia and Azerbaijan to leverage the powerful features of the KA-SAT platform.

With the consumer service offering download speeds of up to 10 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 4 Mbps, Tooway™ broadband will bring fast, reliable and affordable Internet access for Eser Telekom customers in areas with limited alternative solutions for broadband. The Tooway™ solution consists of a satellite dish and a modem connected to the PC via Ethernet, giving customers Internet access with no dependency on a telephone line.

Tolga Sönmezalp, Board Member of Eser Telekom, declared: “The conclusion with Skylogic of this important contract for the Tooway™ service delivered via Eutelsat’s KA-SAT satellite will ensure that Eser Telekom consolidates its role as a key supplier of broadband infrastructure throughout Turkey. It will also allow Eser Telekom to quickly and effectively expand its presence in Iraq, Georgia and Azerbaijan in cooperation with our local partners in these countries.”

Arduino Patacchini, CEO of Skylogic, added: “Tooway™ is the ideal service to meet the expectations of Eser Telekom’s customers to quickly access the benefits of broadband. We are delighted to be working with Eser Telekom, the first major distribution partner in Turkey and neighbouring countries to benefit from the superior service delivered through KA-SAT. We look forward to building a close and longstanding relationship which contributes to building an inclusive digital environment across these regions.”

TRACE SELECTS EUTELSAT’s EUROBIRD™ 9A SATELLITE TO BROADCAST ITS PLATFORM OF HD CHANNELS ACROSS EUROPE AND MIDDLE EAST

Paris, 8 September 2011

TRACE, the fast-growing media brand specialised in music and sports celebrities content, is strengthening its relationship with Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) via a five-year contract for capacity and uplinking services on the EUROBIRD™ 9A satellite. The new deal gives TRACE an exceptional footprint to broadcast across Europe and the Middle East its three high definition thematic networks, TRACE Urban HD, TRACE Tropical HD and the recently-launched TRACE Sports HD. As part of the agreement with Eutelsat, its Skylogic affiliate is uplinking the three channels from its teleport in Turin (Italy).


Satellite delivery of the three channels via EUROBIRD™ 9A will enable TRACE to reach multiple European and Middle East cable, DSL, mobile and DTH platforms, including Eutelsat's KabelKiosk digital cable platform which last month enriched its HD portfolio of channels with TRACE’s HD content.


"Eutelsat has been an exceptional satellite partner since the launch of the first TRACE channel in 2003. By October this year, TRACE will have a total of nine channel feeds broadcasting via Eutelsat satellites to a vast audience across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Over 90% of our channel content is already in native HD and this new agreement will help us to significantly enhance viewer experience. Before HD, our viewers were just watching music videos. With HD, they are now IN the videos. We have the same great visual feeling with TRACE Sports HD, our new Sports Celebrities channel that delivers a total immersion in the lives of champions,” says Olivier Laouchez, Founder, Chairman & CEO of TRACE.

Andrew Wallace, Eutelsat Chief Commercial Officer, added: “Eutelsat has been a pioneering HD satellite solutions provider since HD went mainstream, and today our satellites broadcast over 220 HD channels. We are delighted to deepen our longstanding partnership with TRACE through a new contract to broadcast their growing stable of HD content. This agreement further demonstrates our commitment to supporting creativity and innovation in our core satellite television business.”

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SATELLITE FURTHER INCREASES TECHNICAL REACH IN GERMANY

Luxembourg, 6 September 2011

Global satellite operator SES S.A. (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announced today that satellite has further increased its technical reach in Germany, its largest single market. According to the newest research, 17.1 million German households now watch television directly via satellite (Direct-to-Home), a gain of 430,000 households in the first six months of the year. The number of digital satellite households rose to 14.5 million, representing a digitalisation rate of 85 per cent and leaving 2.5 million analogue satellite households to be converted to digital reception until the analogue switch-off date end of April next year.

Cable has decreased its reach, now transmitting to 17.9 million homes, 260,000 less than half a year before. The digitalisation rate of cable infrastructures is 43 per cent. Digital terrestrial TV lost 300,000 households and now reaches 1.7 million homes.

These are the results of the most recent Satellite Monitor, a study that SES ASTRA conducts on a European scale every year. In Germany, SES ASTRA conducts these studies every six months in partnership with the regional regulatory authorities (Landesmedienanstalten) and through the market research institute TNS Infratest.

SES And Gazprom Space Systems Enter Strategic Partnership To Provide Additional Satellite Capacity To Russian Market

Luxembourg, Moscow, 7 September 2011

Global satellite operator SES S.A. (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) and Russian fixed satellite service operator Gazprom Space System (GSS) announced today that they have entered into a strategic partnership to provide additional satellite capacity to serve the Russian market.

Under the terms of a multi-year agreement, SES has re-located its ASTRA 1F satellite previously located at 51 degrees East to the orbital location 55 degrees East. GSS will utilize 16 Ku-band FSS transponders on the ASTRA 1F satellite to provide communication services for Western Russia ahead of the arrival of GSS' Yamal-402 satellite in 2012. In return, SES will use capacity on GSS' Yamal-402 once it becomes operational at 55 degrees East. Yamal-402 is currently under construction and scheduled for launch in November 2012.

The use of ASTRA 1F at 55 degrees East is part of a strategic partnership between SES and Gazprom to explore opportunities for the provision of satellite capacity for Russia. GSS will use the capacity on ASTRA 1F and later Yamal-402 together with Russian satellite service providers to deliver a wide spectrum of services including the transmission of TV bouquets for direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV operators, the distribution of TV signals to cable and terrestrial networks and broadcasting stations, the delivery of broadband access for corporate clients and the consumer market, and point-to-point communication, as well as cellular backhauls and Satellite News Gathering (SNG) services.

Dimitry Sevastiyanov, General Director of GSS said: "The move of ASTRA 1F is good news for the Russian market. The additional satellite arrives at a time of high demand and scarce capacity and brings us in a position to meet the actual and growing capacity needs of our customers. The cooperation with SES is very productive and we may see additional joint projects in the future."

Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES, commented: "The agreement to move ASTRA 1F over Russia demonstrates SES' capability to quickly respond to market demands and highlights the advantage of a global and flexible satellite fleet. The launch of ASTRA 5B scheduled for 2013 we will bring additional capacity to Russia. With Gazprom we have found an excellent partner to tap this highly important growth market."

MAGTICOM USES SES CAPACITY TO LAUNCH FIRST DOMESTIC PAY TV OPERATIONS IN GEORGIA

Tbilisi/Luxembourg/Amsterdam, September 8, 2011

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announced today that it has signed a long term agreement with the Georgian mobile and telecommunication company MagtiCom for several transponders at its 31.5 degrees East orbital position. MagtiCom will use the capacity to launch Georgia's first domestic direct-to-home (DTH) television platform. The operator will broadcast in DVB-S2 standard and MPEG 4 encoding.

MagtiCom will launch an attractive pay-TV bouquet for the Georgian market, offering local and international standard and high definition (SD and HD) channels starting from 1 January 2012. The 31.5 degrees East orbital position offers excellent growth opportunities for broadcasters in Central Eastern Europe and can accommodate the rising demand for SD and HD services in the region. Its excellent footprint covers the whole territory of Georgia with a powerful signal, allowing for direct-to-home reception with dishes sized at 60 cm. SES already provides a variety of services from this orbital position, ranging from the transmission of television channels in standard and high definition and the contribution of television and radio channels to cable and terrestrial networks, as well as data and voice services.

Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer at SES said: "The launch of MagitCom's DTH platform once again demonstrates the ability of SES to help new market entrants to succeed. SES stands for an excellent knowledge of the television market. Its fleet of 47 satellites today carries 43 direct-to-home platforms worldwide. This tremendous track record, coupled with the highest technical standards and the ambition to help its customers grow their businesses, makes SES and ideal partner for broadcasters worldwide. We look forward to the launch of the new platform - adding an exciting new programme choice to the TV offer in the region."

David Lee, General Director of Magticom said: "Together with SES we will accelerate the digitalization in Georgia. With the excellent satellite fleet and technical know-how of our partner, we will provide Georgian TV-viewers with the highest quality of digital television services. Moreover, the launch of this DTH platform represents a unique opportunity and a major step forward for the region, as it will allow Georgian TV viewers for the first time to receive a Georgian pay-TV offer from satellite."

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TSBc confirms manufacturer and launcher for THOR 7

Telenor news

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc) recently confirmed the signing of a contract with Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for the construction and delivery of a new geosynchronous (GEO) communications satellite, THOR 7. The satellite will be based on SS/L’s 1300 series platform and fitted with two payloads (Ku and Ka-band). TSBc also announced the selection of Arianespace to provide launch services for THOR 7, which is due to launch in Q4 2013 on an Ariane 5 launcher from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.

THOR 7 will be fitted with 11 Ku-band transponders, providing much needed Ku-band capacity to support growing broadcasting requirements within Central and Eastern Europe. The satellite’s second payload will comprise Ka-band spot beams areas including the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean. The Ka-band payload will address the surge in demand for high-bandwidth requirements from the maritime industry, offering a bandwidth-efficient service with high bit rates to meet customers’ expectations.

The spacecraft has a 28-month production schedule and the manufacturing process is now under way. THOR 7 is being built at Space Systems/Loral’s manufacturing facilities in Palo Alto, California.

Hibernia Media connects to TSBc

Telenor news

Hibernia Media, a media services company that delivers video over fibre on its own global network, recently expanded its network and connected it to Telenor Satellite Broadcasting’s MSNW video network in London.

The Hibernia Media network provides services to nearly every major city in the US along with selected cities in Canada, Ireland, the UK and Western Europe. TSBc’s media network interconnects its major satellite uplink stations in Europe, offers access to teleport facilities and provides connectivity to all the major Nordic broadcasters.

By establishing this new bi-directional connection, both companies will be able to provide additional dedicated and occasional-use ASI video connectivity, offering fibre and satellite access to media markets across the US and Europe.

iSCPC services for occasional broadcasts (Idirect)

Telenor news

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting is now offering occasional-use (OU) iSCPC services through its London teleport.

The OU iSCPC service is ideal for live applications including webcasts and allows customers to transmit IP from site or IP alongside traditional DVBS transmissions from flyaways or SNG’s. It offers the ability to provide the dedicated capacity required for IP transmissions in situations where terrestrial connectivity is not always available for Data transmissions.

The service can also be used for broadcasting fast-breaking news stories. TSBc’s iSCPC service enables the transmission of broadcast-quality MPEG-4 video using less than half of the bandwidth required for traditional MPEG-2 broadcasts. It also provides MPEG-4 decoding and video transport to the BT tower in central London.

Available throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East, iSCPC services can be booked in dedicated 3MHz space segments on TSBc’s in-house IS 10 02 capacity or, alternatively, on third-party capacity. A variety of 3MHz IP bandwidths are available and can be divided into various upstream and downstream path profiles, enabling the most efficient bandwidth utilisation to suit network usage.

Welcoming new channels to 1° West

Telenor news

It is a great pleasure to welcome the following new TV channels to our line-up on the 1° West platform:
CCTV Documentary Pan Europe
Nautik Slovakian
Empatia Slovakian
Canal + SPORT Extra HD Nordic
Canal Motor Nordic

Reaching nearly 9 million CEE homes from 1° West

Telenor news

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting’s satellite fleet resides at the prime orbital location of 1° West, which now provides services to nearly three million DTH households in Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia and Ukraine. It is also home to the two largest regional DTH providers, UPC Direct and Digi TV, and has an extensive reach of cable households. The 1° West “hotspot” location now serves nearly nine million homes in Central and Eastern Europe and the total is rising by the day.

The pan-European nature of the capacity at 1° West is attractive to broadcasters, satisfying the demand of a multichannel environment in which there is an ever-increasing number of local and international channels. Such growth has placed a huge demand for capacity on TSBc’s most recent satellite, THOR 6. With the additional capacity that will be made available with our next satellite, THOR 7, TSBc is anticipating future demand with the aim of sustaining long-term growth at 1° West.

To tune into 1°West and become part of this growing broadcasting position in Central and Eastern Europe

More occasional-use satellite capacity on IS 10-02

Telenor news

As a result of a reconfiguration of several transponders on the IS 10-02 satellite that will be completed in October, Telenor Satellite Broadcasting’s occasional-use (OU) services will have access to an additional 112 MHz of capacity from November 2011.

The satellite capacity will provide European coverage on IS 10-02’s Spot 1 beam that will be suitable for key sports events – such as the 2012 European Football Championships held in June next year and the Olympic Games the following month – as well as for the many unforeseen events for which broadcasters require capacity at the last minute. TSBc also has OU capacity offering coverage of the Middle East on the IS 10-02 Spot 2 beam, which will be of interest to broadcasters and SNG (satellite news gathering) operators working within the region.

For booking-related enquiries, 24/7, contact us on +44 207 923 6555.

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SkyStream Expands its Reach with Intelsat

Luxembourg and Dubai, UAE, 7 September 2011

Intelsat S.A., the world’s leading provider of satellite services, announced that it has signed two contracts with SkyStream FZ LLC, a Dubai-based provider of connectivity and satellite services solutions.

SkyStream has contracted for nearly 40 MHz of new C-band capacity on Intelsat 17 at 66°E to offer GSM backhaul, Internet access and On-Demand video service to its maritime and terrestrial customers.

SkyStream will offer Internet and On-Demand services to luxury yachts across the Persian Gulf, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean, and to fixed sites in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. SkyStream will provide these services via Intelsat 17 and the IntelsatONESM advanced terrestrial network, with connectivity support from Intelsat’s teleport in Fuchsstadt, Germany.

SkyStream is also using part of the capacity to offer GSM backhaul services from the yachts and terrestrial sites back to its customers in the United Arab Emirates.

“The vast reach of Intelsat 17 and IntelsatONE helps us complete our current regional maritime coverage,” said SkyStream Managing Director Riyadh Al Adely. “This agreement firmly establishes SkyStream as a leading maritime solutions provider.”

“SkyStream has expanded its maritime and terrestrial offerings through the superior performance of Intelsat 17 and IntelsatONE,” said Intelsat Senior Vice President of Global Sales Kurt Riegelman. ”We continue to work closely with premier service providers like SkyStream to help them offer value and growth to their end-users.”

Intelsat's Premier Video Neighborhoods Continue to Attract World's Top Programmers

Luxembourg, 7 September 2011

Intelsat S.A., the world’s leading provider of satellite services, today announced several new contracts with media customers utilizing Intelsat’s premier video distribution neighborhoods. The agreements provide programmers the ability to deliver content to customers across vast geographic regions and the globe.

“With a dependable, robust network and knowledgeable personnel, Intelsat continues to take our media customers to global audiences,” said Kurt Riegelman, Intelsat’s Senior Vice President of Global Sales. “Intelsat’s strategy to reposition existing satellite assets, and to launch new and optimized capacity to enhance our video neighborhoods, enables our customers to expand their services in new and exciting ways.”

Intelsat’s global satellite fleet, combined with the IntelsatONESM terrestrial infrastructure, continues to attract the world’s top programmers.

New Contracts in Europe

Intelsat has entered into a multi-year, multi-transponder agreement with Orion Express LLC, a DTH television services provider in Russia, for standard- and high-definition content. To support this agreement, Intelsat will move a Ku-band satellite to 85°E by the first quarter of 2012, leveraging its fleet to deliver extended capacity to Orion.

Once moved to 85°E, the satellite is expected to remain in service through 2023. Its wide beam ensures consistent signal reception from Russia’s western borders to Irkutsk, a major city in Siberia.

In Eastern Europe, DigiTVs’ owner, S.C. RCS and RDS S.A., renewed its contract for capacity at Intelsat’s 1°W video neighborhood. As the leading DTH services operator in Central and Eastern Europe, RCS serves more than 2 million subscribers across five countries.

New Commitments in the Americas

STN, Ltd., a leading broadcast-over-satellite provider, recently entered into an agreement to offer international content to its customers in North America, greatly expanding the reach of its programming platform. The multi-year, multi-transponder deal will allow STN to offer the direct-to-home content on Intelsat’s Galaxy 19 at 97°W.

Portugal Telecom renewed its multi-year contract recently for the distribution of Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, the nation’s public television channel, across Latin America and Africa. The content will be provided via Intelsat 805 at 304.5°E and in Africa on Intelsat 907 at 332.5°E.

Intelsat also announced it has signed a multi-transponder contract with Avail-TVN for C-band services on Galaxy 28 at 89°W. The multi-year agreement will allow Avail-TVN to provide a suite of IPTV, high-definition and VOD services to its customers across North America and the Caribbean.

Anhanguera, Brazil’s leading for-profit professional education company, is migrating all of its services on C-band capacity to Intelsat 1R at 310°E. The multi-transponder deal will allow Anhanguera to broadcast up to 50 channels from its uplink centers in Brazil, which will be received by more than 500 distance learning centers nationwide.

Also on Intelsat 1R, Casablanca, Brazil’s largest SNG service provider, recently signed a deal for C-band service with Intelsat to provide “Cinelive,” high-definition, live content to 65 movie theaters across 23 cities. The agreement lets Casablanca create a live satellite network in Brazilian digital movie theaters that allows for alternative content distribution, including operas, sporting events, and corporate training.

Intelsat 1R has established itself as one of the best options for linear C-band contribution and distribution in Brazil.

Intelsat and TIBA, Latin America’s leading video carrier and content management provider, recently announced a contract extension for C-band capacity on Intelsat 27 at 304.5°E, replacing Intelsat 805 in late 2012 or early 2013. The multiyear, multi-transponder agreement will allow TIBA to provide standard- and high-definition video programming to tier 1 broadcasters in the Americas and in Western Europe for the 15-year life of the satellite. TIBA bundles its satellite broadcast services with the space segment to provide turnkey solutions to broadcasters for distribution of their video programming.

New Contracts in Asia-Pacific

In Asia-Pacific, Canal + Overseas S.A.S., the largest French-speaking pay-TV operator in the French Overseas Territories, signed a multi-transponder, long-term agreement on Intelsat 18, set to launch in October. The satellite will provide high power Ku-band capacity to enable high-definition DTH programming, in this case for New Caledonia, and is Intelsat’s growing neighborhood of largely French language programming for the Pacific Ocean region.

Bharti Teleports Limited recently signed a multi-year capacity agreement to provide video services in India and throughout Asia on Intelsat 17 at 66°E. The multi-transponder deal gives Bharti continued access to India’s growing cable headend community.

Intelsat continues to be a leader in the delivery of HD content, now offering more than 330 channels across the globe.

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SES sets signs for further growth

New logo and brand identity presented at IBC in Amsterdam

Luxembourg 9 September 2011

SES S.A. is continuing its push for growth and has presented a new brand identity and logo at the opening of the industry’s leading annual trade show IBC in Amsterdam. The new brand is centered on the consistent use of the SES name and logo throughout the markets in which SES operates worldwide. The introduction of the new corporate identity supports SES’s efforts to create a homogeneous global presence and a single interface for customers in established and emerging markets.

SES is a world-leading satellite operator, currently undertaking significant investments to grow its satellite fleet and its business. With ten spacecraft to be launched between now and the end of 2014, SES will increase its global fleet capacity by 23 per cent in comparison to year-end 2010. As a leader in direct-to-home (DTH) and High Definition (HD) television, SES today transmits more than 5,900 TV and radio channels around the world, more than 1,000 of them in HD. SES’s 47 satellites reach 245 million households around the world and carry 43 DTH platforms across the continents. Approximately 85 per cent of the new satellite capacity that SES is launching through 2014 will be dedicated to the highly dynamic emerging markets in Latin America, Africa, Middle East, the Asia/Pacific region and India.

“When we implemented a streamlined management structure back in May, we laid the basis for the execution of our ambitious global goals and our growth strategy,” says Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES. “Our new corporate design will support our efforts to grow our business and develop a single customer interface, further intensifying customer proximity and our links to industry. The new SES structure and appearance represent a next logical step in the development of our company as a leading and innovative satellite operator.”

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EUTELSAT LAUNCHES QUALITY ASSURANCE INITIATIVE FOR DVB SATELLITE TRANSMISSIONS

Amsterdam, 12 September 2011

Quality assurance of DVB satellite transmissions is to be advanced by Eutelsat Communications, one of the world’s leading satellite operators, in time for the 2012 Olympics, which are anticipated to be the planet's most-watched sporting event. The breakthrough, which was announced at IBC 2011, is part of a global industry-supported initiative that aims to safeguard satellite signal services.

Eutelsat’s continued commitment to quality assurance reflects the growing demand for satellites to distribute TV images to viewers around the world, and the consequent increase of transmission equipment accessing satellite resources on a daily basis. The effort is supported by the global broadcast community, the satellite industry and through three international associations: the World Broadcasting Unions-International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG), the GVF (Global VSAT Forum) and sIRG (satellite Interference Reduction Group).

Through this new initiative, Carrier Identification will be integrated into transmission parameters for all SNG transmissions and new DVB broadcasts from 30 June 2012. Simple firmware enhancements to existing operational uplink equipment have already been developed by key manufacturers. Carrier Identification will enable Eutelsat to more efficiently identify transmissions to its satellites and accelerate coordination with earth station operators.

“This first critical step enables us to give an even higher level of assurance of quality to our broadcast customers”, said Andrew Wallace, Eutelsat’s Chief Commercial Officer. “It is a reflection of how our industry continues to grow and how, through collaboration, new technologies can be leveraged to maintain the high standards of service that the broadcast community expects.”

In a statement, David Hartshorn, Secretary General of the GVF, Dick Tauber, Chairman of WBU-ISOG and VP Transmission Systems and New Technology at the CNN News Group, and Martin Coleman, Chairman of the sIRG, jointly declared: “Carrier Identification is an important example of what is achievable through the active cooperation of broadcasters, service providers and satellite operators. It is part of a broader vision to further elevate standards of quality for all satellite-delivered programming.”

Eutelsat’s announcement was made during a quality assurance summit held at IBC, jointly by WBU-ISOG, the GVF, sIRG and the RFI-EUI (Radio Frequency Interference End-User Initiative).

Canal+ Overseas signs long-term agreement with SES at 338 degrees east

Luxembourg/ Paris, September 12, 2011

SES announced today that Canal+ Overseas, the international subsidiary of French Pay-TV operator Canal+, has contracted multiple transponders and signed a long-term agreement for its subsidiary CANAL+ AFRIQUE in order to distribute the CANAL+/CANALSAT pay-TV bouquet of channels in Africa over the SES-4 satellite at the orbital location of 338 degrees East.

CANAL+/CANALSAT is the first French-speaking pay-TV offer in Africa, distributed by CANAL+ AFRIQUE. The new contract with SES includes renewed and additional capacity and will allow Canal+ Overseas to extend its offer and migrate the pay-TV bouquet from the current NSS-7 spacecraft to the upcoming SES-4 satellite, without changing the orbital position and without a repointing of customer dishes. It ensures the long-term availability of the entire Canal+ Overseas programme line-up, standard definition as well as high-definition, via a single orbital position and to all of Canal+ Overseas’ target markets in Africa.

The 338 degrees East position is one of the most highly demanded orbital locations for trans-Atlantic traffic serving Africa, Europe and the Americas. SES-4 has been built by Space System/Loral and will be launched on board an ILS/Proton booster from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, in the fourth quarter of this year. The massive spacecraft carries 52 C-band transponders as well as 72 Ku-band transponders and as such will be the largest satellite in the SES satellite fleet. SES-4 will replace the NSS-7 spacecraft, releasing this satellite for new missions at other orbital positions.

States Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer of SES: “We are pleased to offer Canal+ Overseas a new satellite at 338 degrees East and extend our existing collaboration. This orbital location is already a well-established SES neighborhood over Africa and will offer our customers considerable incremental capacity for growth with SES-4. As Canal+ Overseas aims to increase the number of channels and services on offer and plans to introduce new HDTV services, SES will be delighted to provide the required state-of-the-art satellite capacity optimally covering all target markets in Africa.”

DIRECTV Latin America Doubles its Capacity on New Intelsat Satellites

Luxembourg and El Segundo, Calif., 8 September 2011

Intelsat S.A., the world’s leading provider of satellite services, today announced an agreement with DIRECTV Latin America (DTVLA), an operating unit of DIRECTV, to provide Ku-band capacity for DTH services in Latin America.

Intelsat will provide services on two new hybrid C- and Ku-band satellites, Intelsat 30 and Intelsat 31, each containing 82 transponders. DTVLA will use the Ku-band payloads to expand its current DTH entertainment offerings and provide backup and restoration services.

The two satellites are scheduled for launch in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and will be co-located with Intelsat’s Galaxy 3C satellite at 95°W. DTVLA has provided service via Galaxy 3C since the satellite was launched in 2002. DTVLA plans to utilize the satellites for their entire 15-year lifetime.

“This agreement positions our Pan Americana platform for future growth, while also providing full redundancy. It reflects our continued optimism about the region,” said Bruce Churchill, President and CEO of DTVLA. “Intelsat and DIRECTV Latin America strategically designed a Ku-band payload to optimize the available frequencies to maximize our channel capacity in Spanish-speaking South America by using both local and pan-regional beams.”

“We’re thrilled that DIRECTV Latin America continues to show confidence in the high-quality services that Intelsat provides through this long-term agreement,” said David McGlade, CEO of Intelsat. “This effort will allow DIRECTV Latin America to offer enhanced services to all of its Latin American customers, along with restoration services to guarantee uninterrupted delivery.”

Spacecom extends Hungarian cooperation

10.09 Europe/London, September 12, 2011 By Chris Dziadul

Magyar Telekom has signed a long-term agreement with Spacecom securing it more bandwidth for its DTH platform T-Home Sat TV.

The deal is worth $7 million (€5.13 million) and T-Home Sat TV’s total expansion with Amos in 2011 is valued at nearly $14 million.

T-Home Sat TV currently distributes around 100 channels, four of which are in HD, and has around 260,000 subscribers, equivalent to approximately 30% of the Hungarian DTH market.

The additional capacity will allow it to add more channels and programme packages to its offer.

Spacecom’s Amos at 4 degrees West has three CEE DTH clients – T-Home Sat TV, Slovakia’s Magio TV and the soon-to-be-launched Xtra TV in Ukraine.

Its fourth is the DTH platform Yes in Israel.

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EUTELSAT EXTENDS AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIAN SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY FOR SATELLITE CONTROL FROM THE DUBNA SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Paris, Moscow, 15 September 2011

Eutelsat Communications and the RSCC (Russian Satellite Communications Company) today announced they have extended the agreement under which RSCC provides key services to control Eutelsat’s satellites. RSCC manages satellite control activities for Eutelsat from its Dubna Satellite Communications Center (SCC) near Moscow.

The new five-year contract, which will take effect in September 2012, was signed in Paris during World Satellite Business Week by Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO, and Yuri Prokhorov, CEO of RSCC. It extends the collaboration on satellite control between both companies which began in 1997 when RSCC was selected by Eutelsat to be a partner in its international ground station network following an international consultation.

Operations for Eutelsat began in Dubna in 1998. The facilities located today at RSCC’s centre comprise eight antenna systems for simultaneous monitoring and control of ten Eutelsat satellites in geostationary orbit.

Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO, commented on the new contract: “RSCC represents a partner with exceptional competence in satellite control services and we have no hesitation in renewing our longstanding collaboration. With the significant expansion of our fleet over almost 15 years, and in particular the deployment of satellites further East, the Dubna facilities have been an important asset for efficient and flexible operations. We look forward to taking this cooperation to a new level.”

“This agreement is clear evidence of how comprehensive, long-term, and successful the cooperation between two major players on the world satellite market can be if it is built on mutual understanding and efficient use of one another’s capabilities,” said Yuri Prokhorov, RSCC’s Chief Executive Officer. “The RSCC satellite centre’s unique geographic location enables it to monitor satellites in the orbital coverage area from 27 degrees West to 201 degrees East. The experience we have gained in working with Eutelsat has been successfully applied to similar projects for control and monitoring of other satellites, including RSCC’s own fleet.”

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ORS expands capacity agreement with SES

Luxembourg, 16 September 2011

Two new TV channels in Austria on 19.2 degrees East

SES S.A. announced that Österreichischer Rundfunksender (ORS), technical service provider for Austrian public broadcaster ORF and other channels, has contracted an additional transponder on SES’ prime orbital position 19.2 degrees East.

The additional transponder is the fourth that ORS contracts on SES. Serving 53 percent of all households, satellite is the leading broadcasting infrastructure in Austria. Following the expansion of an existing agreement, two new channels will be launched in Austria. ORF SPORT PLUS is to be launched by ORF on 26 October. The private broadcaster ATV will also utilize additional capacity on the ORS transponder and launch ATV2 on 1 December.

“We are very pleased to announce the expansion of the partnership with ORS and the Austrian broadcasters. The orbital position 19.2 degrees East is one of our premium positions and this agreement further emphasizes its status as a leading orbital slot for continental Europe,” said Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer of SES. “Two new Austrian channels within the next three months prove the advantages that go hand in hand with the switch-over from analogue to digital TV.”

“In order to meet the increasing demand for bandwidth resulting from HDTV and new TV channels, ORS will further increase the capacity contracted on SES satellites. With the activation of this new transponder, we can further strengthen the offer to the Austrian audience”, said ORS Managing Director Michael Wagenhofer.

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EUTELSAT INKS DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT WITH VIVACOM FOR ITS TOOWAY™ SATELLITE BROADBAND SERVICE IN BULGARIA

Paris, Sofia, 29 September 2011

Eutelsat Communications , Europe's leading satellite operator, today announced a distribution agreement between its Skylogic subsidiary and VIVACOM to provide the new generation Tooway™ satellite broadband service in Bulgaria. VIVACOM, Bulgaria’s leading telecommunications service provider, will use the Tooway™ service, delivered via Eutelsat’s KA-SAT satellite, to provide high-speed broadband services to residential and enterprise users beyond range of terrestrial networks.

With download speeds of up to 10 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 4 Mbps, Tooway™ satellite broadband will bring fast and reliable Internet access for VIVACOM customers. Almost one million Bulgarian households, that are mainly located in rural and suburban areas, are still beyond reach of fixed terrestrial or wireless networks, underscoring the potential of satellite broadband in VIVACOM’s home market. VIVACOM is launching the service at prices starting from BGN 39 (19.90€) per month.

“The Tooway™ satellite broadband service is the latest addition to our wide portfolio of communications solutions”, said Simeon Donev, Director Products and Services of VIVACOM. “Its launch positions VIVACOM as the first ISP on the Bulgarian market with 100% national coverage, making it possible to extend broadband availability to users in areas with limited telecommunications infrastructure. This is a real breakthrough for the Internet landscape for Bulgaria.”

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SES Secures Further Contract With Channel 4 On ASTRA 1N

Luxembourg, 4 October 2011

SES S.A., Europe's premier direct-to-home (DTH) satellite operator, has secured a further long-term contract with Channel 4 in the UK to provide additional capacity on its recently launched ASTRA 1N spacecraft. Channel 4 already has three transponders under contract at SES's 28.2˚East orbital slot.

The new capacity on ASTRA 1N will be used to transmit Channel 4's main high-definition (HD) service together with further HD services over the coming years.

SES will bring into service three new satellites at 28.2˚East from 2012 to 2014, ASTRA 2F, 2E and 2G, providing additional capacity and greater back-up, together with more power and operational flexibility, for its customers in the UK and Ireland.

Channel 4 was founded in 1982 as a public service broadcaster and regularly reaches more than 35 million viewers each week. Its HD service will be delivered to Sky and Freesat households, representing over 12 million UK homes.

Kevin Burrows, Channel 4's Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Broadcast and Distribution said, "HDTV is an essential part of our channel line-up going forward and this new capacity will enable us to provide our viewers with Channel 4's portfolio of HD services. We have a long-running and very successful relationship with SES that is based on the company's understanding of our business, its excellent level of reliability and its technical expertise. For us, SES was a natural choice when it came to expanding our broadcast capacity."

Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer at SES, said, "We have worked closely with Channel 4 for the past seven years and are delighted that Channel 4 has renewed their confidence in SES. Our new agreement is further proof of the strong demand for new HD services in the UK market."

Istanbul FM TV Broadcasts On SES 31.5° Degrees East

Luxembourg, 06 October 2011

SES announced today that it has concluded a capacity agreement with the Turkish media company Istanbul FM TV. The new customer will use SES satellite capacity at the orbital position 31.5 degrees East for the free-to-air transmission of two TV and two radio channels. With the SES satellites, the programs can be received in Turkey with standard Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite dishes.

"The agreement is a significant step into the fast growing Turkish market," said Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer of SES. "This market has become increasingly important for us. At the same time, our new partnership confirms the attractiveness of 31.5 degrees East for customers in growth markets. We will continue to extend our presence in Turkey and create an attractive neighborhood for our broadcasting customers."

"We have chosen to partner with SES for the distribution of our TV and radio channels because of their excellent track record and technical expertise," said Sabri Demirdogen, President of Istanbul FM TV. "We are pleased and excited to work with an industry leader and look forward to extending our partnership with SES in the near future."

EUTELSAT’s W3C SATELLITE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED AND ON ITS WAY TO 16 DEGREES EAST

W3C launched 14 days after ATLANTIC BIRD 7: two new satellites set to boost Eutelsat’s in-orbit resources

Paris, 7 October 2011

Eutelsat Communications today announced the successful launch of its W3C satellite by a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China. Partial deployment of the satellite’s solar array was carried out within three hours of separation and will be followed over the coming ten days by manoeuvres that include circularising W3C’s orbit and deploying antennas.

Speaking after the launch, Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO, declared “Our sincere appreciation to Great Wall Industry Corporation for the excellent performance of this launch, and to Thales Alenia Space for their dedication to this sophisticated and challenging programme. This is a new milestone, achieved only 14 days after the launch of our ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 satellite. With these two new satellites scheduled to enter service during the second quarter of our financial year, Eutelsat will be equipped with new resources to meet strong client demand across dynamic markets in Central Europe, Africa and Indian Ocean islands, strengthening our confidence to meet our objectives for the year.”

Built for Eutelsat by Thales Alenia Space, W3C will replace the EUROBIRD™ 16, W2M and SESAT 1 satellites at 16° East. Through its configuration of 56 transponders, (53 Ku and three Ka), it will address markets for broadcasting and telecom/data services via four footprints:

• A high-power footprint optimised for Direct-to-Home broadcasting in Central Europe will anchor the 16° East neighbourhood as a point of reference for satellite TV in the region, serving over 11 million households.
• High-power coverage over Indian Ocean islands will support the expansion of pay-TV and accelerate digital switchover in Mauritius and Reunion Island.
• A wide footprint serving Europe, North Africa and the Middle East will serve markets for data networks and newsgathering.
• A new footprint for 16° East, with Ku coverage stretching from Senegal to Madagascar and enabling connectivity with Europe in Ka-band, will respond to high-growth applications that include GSM backhaul and Internet access for enterprises and public agencies.

W3C is based on the Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000 platform, with a scheduled in-orbit lifetime exceeding 15 years. Eutelsat’s in-orbit expansion programme will continue with the launch of six additional satellites from 2012 to 2014.

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EUTELSAT’s W3C SATELLITE IN FULL COMMERCIAL SERVICE

New W3C and ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 satellites inject additional resources and flexibility into Eutelsat’s fleet

Paris, 9 November 2011

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced the full entry into commercial service of the powerful W3C satellite at 16° East.

The transfer of all traffic, including over 480 television channels, onto W3C from the EUROBIRD™ 16, W2M and SESAT 1 satellites was completed this morning by Eutelsat’s control centre, working in close collaboration with clients and providers of uplink services.

With the high-capacity W3C going on-line at 16° East, Eutelsat is further equipped to service dynamic satellite broadcasting markets in Central Europe and Indian Ocean islands. Over 11 million homes in Central Europe and 500,000 in Indian Ocean islands are already equipped to receive broadcast services from this longstanding Eutelsat neighbourhood.

Pay-TV platforms and public and private broadcasters using W3C include SBB, Digitalb, TV Max, Tring and TV Romania that are addressing Central Europe via a high-power footprint optimised for the region. A second regional footprint centred over Madagascar and Indian Ocean islands is serving the Canal+ Overseas, Parabole Réunion and Orange platforms as well as France Télévisions to support digital switchover in Reunion Island and Mayotte.

SBB, operator of Total TV, the leading DTH platform in the Adriatic region, is taking immediate benefit from W3C’s increased capacity to add two transponders to the six already leased at 16° East. SBB's additional capacity, leased to 2020, will be used to support a number of new channels in all of Total TV's markets.

W3C also opens a new route to Africa, in a region stretching from Senegal to Madagascar for Direct-To-Home TV broadcasting as well as data and broadband services. To address high demand for broadband, a new platform using Sat3Play® hub technology provided by Newtec is currently being installed at Eutelsat’s Sardinia teleport. Due to enter commercial service in early 2012, the new hub will provide broadband services for SOHOs, SMEs and consumers in western and central Africa.

With a scheduled in-orbit lifetime exceeding 15 years, W3C is based on the Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000 platform. Eutelsat’s EUROBIRD™ 16 and SESAT 1 and W2M satellites remain in commercial service.

The new satellite enters service two weeks after Eutelsat’s ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 satellite, and forms part of an in-orbit expansion programme that will continue with the launches of six additional spacecraft from 2012 to 2014.

Click on the link below for W3C’s frequencies for TV reception:
http://www.eutelsat.com/satellites/pdf/W3C...FreqChanges.pdf

New SES Satellite ASTRA 1N Operational

Luxembourg, 24 October 2011

SES S.A. today announced that its new ASTRA 1N satellite has entered commercial service at the orbital position of 28.2 degrees East.

ASTRA 1N was built by Astrium on the Eurostar E3000 platform and is equipped with 52 transponders in the Ku frequency band. The satellite was successfully launched on board an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, on 6 August 2011. It had a launch mass of 5,325 kg and is the fourth Eurostar satellite in the 49 satellite-strong SES fleet.

ASTRA 1N greatly enhances the flexibility of the SES satellite fleet at the orbital slot 28.2 degrees East over Europe. ASTRA 1N is notably being used by Channel 4 and ITV. The new satellite will also allow SES to offer its satellite-based broadband service ASTRA2Connect via 28.2 degrees East and thus complement its service offer from the 23.5 degrees East position. ASTRA2Connect is Europe's largest satellite broadband network with more than 80,000 end users.

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EUTELSAT – ONE NAME, ONE GROUP, ONE FLEET

Paris, 1 December 2011

Eutelsat Communications announces that from 1 March 2012 it will be unifying the names of its satellites around the established Eutelsat brand. From this date, the Group’s satellites will take the Eutelsat name associated with the relevant figure for their orbital position and a letter indicating their order of arrival at that position. This new system has been devised to support Eutelsat’s efforts to communicate its satellite branding and deployment in a consistent and homogenous way.

The logical pattern Eutelsat has selected will enable its growing community of users across all markets to immediately identify where a satellite is located - a key metric in the commercial satellite sector - and its chronology at the neighbourhood it occupies.

Current in-orbit satellites will for example be renamed as follows:
W6 at 21.5° East will become EUTELSAT 21A.

To ensure clarity, satellites located at Eutelsat’s four ‘West’ positions will include West in their name. For example:
ATLANTIC BIRD™ 2 will become EUTELSAT 8 West A.

Eutelsat’s HOT BIRD™ brand, which over 20 years has acquired a high and established reputation in the satellite TV industry, will be retained. It will be more closely associated with the Eutelsat name and adopt the numbering system to be implemented for all other satellites. For example HOT BIRD™ 6 will become EUTELSAT HOT BIRD 13A. The same pattern will apply to KA-SAT.

Commenting on the new system, Andrew Wallace, Eutelsat Chief Commercial officer said: “We strive to associate the Eutelsat brand with customer service, engineering excellence and market-leading innovation. Associating the names of our satellites with our Group name and its heritage reflect this vision and mission. As we continue our push for further in-orbit expansion, with six satellites to be launched from 2012 to 2014, this new naming programme will enhance the awareness and understanding of our commercial offer.”

In order to minimise any possible disruption for business partners, Eutelsat has decided on a three-month preparation period, from 1 December 2011 to 1 March 2012. This will allow appropriate time to plan for the change so that the switch on 1 March 2012 can be seamless and smooth for all stakeholders.

Until this date Eutelsat’s current satellite names will continue to be used.

Click here for the complete table of satellite names www.eutelsat.com/satellites/eutelsat-satellites.html or see the attached table.