BIS Pay-TV Platform to Launch From Eutelsat's Two Leading Video Neighbourhoods Serving France

BIS Pay-TV Platform to Launch From Eutelsat's Two Leading Video Neighbourhoods Serving France

PARIS, December 5/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced the upcoming launch by AB Groupe of a new pay-TV platform called BIS, which will be broadcast from its two key video neighbourhoods for satellite television in France. From 10 December, the new platform will be available to satellite homes from Eutelsat's HOT BIRD(TM) neighbourhood at 13 degrees East and from its ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 3 satellite at 5 degrees West.

The basic package proposed by BIS and called Panorama, will offer up to 25 channels, including a majority of France's longstanding national channels and Digital Terrestrial Television channels. As a complement to the basic offer, additional options include access to five film channels. Subscriptions to BIS will start at EUR4.90 a month and go up to EUR13.90 a month.

In order to optimise the availability of BIS to satellite homes across France, AB Groupe will broadcast its new platform simultaneously from the two most established Eutelsat video neighbourhoods serving the French market over the last two decades:

- The HOT BIRD(TM) neighbourhood at 13 degrees East, which broadcasts to 2.8 million satellite homes in France (Source: Eutelsat 2007). With nearly 500 free-to-air channels, the HOT BIRD(TM) satellites also offer the possibility to receive the largest range of in-the-clear content broadcast by satellite in Europe.

- ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 3, which from 5 degrees West, is a longstanding video neighbourhood in France, broadcasting national over-the-air channels in analogue to two million homes located beyond range of terrestrial reception (Source: Eutelsat 2007). With the availability of BIS from ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 3, these homes will have immediate and cost-efficient access to a wide range of digital channels with no need to repoint their outdoor antenna. Eutelsat's ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 3 is also the satellite selected to deliver France's DTT multiplexes to retransmitters for over-the-air reception.

Subscribers to BIS will acquire a pack from regular high-street retailers, comprising a decoder equipped with Viaccess encryption and a smartcard. Homes already equipped with Viaccess decoders will be able to receive BIS with the addition of the BIS smartcard. A number of manufacturers are introducing decoders into the market with a "Via Eutelsat" label which guarantees availability of features developed by Eutelsat that include automatic channel numbering, automatic software updates and parental lock.

Commenting on the launch of BIS, Olivier Millies-Lacroix, Eutelsat Commercial Director said: "Over 42% of homes in France are already equipped to receive digital channels, demonstrating substantial viewer appetite for the quality and choice digital can supply. We welcome the launch of BIS, which offers homes in France a compelling range of leading national and thematic channels. The availability of BIS from our two flagship satellite positions serving France is an important step towards building a fully digital broadcasting environment for all homes."

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 24 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 30 September 2007, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting over 2,730 television channels, of which 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 529 commercial, technical and operational experts from 27 countries.

http://www.eutelsat.com

          Eutelsat Press Contact     Vanessa O'Connor        Tel: +33(0)1-53-98-38-88     voconnor@eutelsat.fr                             Frederique Gautier      Tel: +33(0)1-53-98-38-88     fgautier@eutelsat.fr      Eutelsat Investor relations     Gilles Janvier      Tel: +33(0)1-53-98-35-35     investors@eutelsat-communications.com      AB Groupe Press Contact     Julia Bouilaghet        Tel: +33(0)1-49-17-23-53     julia.bouilhaget@groupe-ab.fr  

Source: Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Press Contact: Vanessa O'Connor, Tel: +33(0)1-53-98-38-88, voconnor@eutelsat.fr; Frederique Gautier, Tel: +33(0)1-53-98-38-88, fgautier@eutelsat.fr; Eutelsat Investor relations, Gilles Janvier, Tel: +33(0)1-53-98-35-35, investors@eutelsat-communications.com: AB Groupe Press Contact, Julia Bouilaghet, Tel: +33(0)1-49-17-23-53, julia.bouilhaget@groupe-ab.fr

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Profile: International Entertainment