Eutelsat W2A Satellite in C and Ku-band Goes Live and Captures New Business at 10 Degrees East

Eutelsat W2A Satellite in C and Ku-band Goes Live and Captures New Business at 10 Degrees East

PARIS, May 19/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced the full entry into commercial service of the Ku-band and C-band missions of the W2A satellite which was launched on April 3. The high-capacity W2A satellite almost triples resources at Eutelsat's 10 degrees East position, which is one of the most longstanding locations in Europe and Africa for professional video, data and Internet services.

The transfer of services at 10 degrees East to W2A from Eutelsat's W1 satellite was carried out successfully in the night of May 18 to 19. These operations were coordinated by Eutelsat's satellite control centre at its Rambouillet teleport facilities, working in close collaboration with clients to ensure a seamless transfer.

The capacity that entered into commercial service this morning enables Eutelsat to provide full continuity of service for clients already operating in Ku-band in extended Europe from 10 degrees East. It also brings Eutelsat significant headroom for expansion for new customers and extends coverage into new regions with high growth potential at a key orbital location.

With W2A's entry into service Eutelsat has also introduced a new mission comprising 10 C-band transponders. Centred over the African continent, the C-band footprint takes in large parts of the Middle East and central Asia to the East and stretches across to Latin America in the West. This capacity has enabled Eutelsat to immediately initiate new multi-year contracts with clients that notably include France Telecom for long-distance services between Europe and Africa, and with LR Group which has contracted for three 72 MHz transponders for enterprise communications and for connecting fixed and mobile telephony networks in Angola.

Following this redeployment Eutelsat's W1 satellite will be repositioned to 4 degrees East in early June where it will operate under the name EUROBIRD(TM) 4A.

          W2A key figures     Platform:                             Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000C4     Height:                               7.5 m     Length:                               3.8 m     Width:                                2.6 m     Width with solar panels deployed:     2 x 57 m2     Mass at launch:                       5.9 tonnes     Power at end-of-life:                 15.4 kW     Orbital position:                     10degrees East     Payload entered into service 19 may   Up to 46 Ku-band transponders 10                                            C-band transponders  

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 27 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 December 2008, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting 3,200 television channels and 1,100 radio stations. More than 1,100 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East 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 591 commercial, technical and operational experts from 28 countries.

http://www.eutelsat.com

          For further information      Press contacts     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                             Investor relations     Gilles Janvier      Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-30                  investors@eutelsat-communications.com           

Source: Eutelsat Communications

For further information: Press contacts: 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; Investor relations: Gilles Janvier, Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-30, investors@eutelsat-communications.com

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Profile: International Entertainment