Telecoms Sans Frontieres Welcomes Eutelsat Communications as New Partner

Telecoms Sans Frontieres Welcomes Eutelsat Communications as New Partner

PARIS, June 18/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL), one of the world's leading satellite operators, and Telecoms Sans Frontieres (TSF) today announced the signature of an agreement whereby Eutelsat becomes an official partner of TSF to support its humanitarian aid operations throughout the world. The announcement was made at Eutelsat headquarters in Paris by Giuliano Berretta, Eutelsat CEO and Jean-Francois Cazenave, President of Telecoms Sans Frontieres.

Based in Pau and with regional offices in Bangkok (Thailand) and Managua (Nicaragua), Telecoms Sans Frontieres is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) providing emergency telecommunications services. Since it was set up in 1998 its mission is to supply telecommunications capabilities for humanitarian aid teams on the ground, and to help victims restore contact with the outside world by calling their families and friends. Less than 48 hours after learning of an emergency, TSF can arrive on the scene anywhere in the world and deploy telecommunications centres offering broadband Internet access, voice communications, fax lines and all the IT equipment needed for a field office.

TSF also develops programmes for deploying a long term communications centres in regions recovering from man-made and natural disasters. An example of this is a centre in Niger which opened in February this year and which uses Skylogic's D-STAR product and capacity on Eutelsat's W3A satellite to provide ICT services to local and international aid organisations working with populations of the region of Dakoro. To give a scale of the benefit of the new centre, before it was deployed, organisations had to drive six hours to send an email. Operated by Afrique Telecom, the centre is equipped with four computers, a printer and scanner linked to a D-STAR terminal. TSF provides access to all organisations, local and international NGOs and governmental agencies working in Dakoro.

"TSF is proud to partner with Eutelsat," declared Jean-Francois Cazenave. "This is an important step for TSF's development as it will enable our teams to stay longer in emergencies. It will also open new possibilities for TSF to support affected populations in ongoing emergencies notably in long-term established refugee camps by deploying long-term communications centres."

Giuliano Berretta responded: "Through our experience with TSF we have seen how satellites are an absolute core requirement for efficient recovery operations following natural or man-made disasters. We are very pleased through this official partnership to support the leading NGO in emergency telecommunications, whose commitment to rapid restoration of communications networks plays a critical role in relief operations around the world".

          For further information          Telecoms Sans Frontieres :     Oisin Walton     Information and Communications co-ordinator     Tel: +33-5-5984-43-60     communication@tsfi.org     www.tsfi.org  

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 23 satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. At 31 March 2007, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting over 2,500 television channels and 1,000 radio stations. More than 1,000 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood which serves over 120 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates services through teleports in France and Italy that serve enterprises, local communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ 515 commercial, technical and operational experts from 27 countries.

www.eutelsat.com

          For further information     Press          Vanessa O'Connor     Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88     voconnor@eutelsat.fr          Frederique Gautier     Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88     fgautier@eutelsat.fr          Investors     Gilles Janvier     Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-35     investors@eutelsat-communications.com  

Source: Eutelsat Communications

Vanessa O'Connor, Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88, voconnor@eutelsat.fr; Frederique Gautier, Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88, fgautier@eutelsat.fr; Investors, Gilles Janvier, Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-35, investors@eutelsat-communications.com

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