Eutelsat to Take 9? East Video Neighbourhood to New Level of Performance With Eutelsat 9B Satellite Ordered From Astrium

Eutelsat to Take 9° East Video Neighbourhood to New Level of Performance With Eutelsat 9B Satellite Ordered From Astrium

EUTELSAT 9B to embark Hosted Payload for the ESA/Astrium European Data Relay Satellite System (EDRS)

PARIS, October 4, 2011/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced it is
initiating a new satellite programme that will significantly expand and
diversify resources at its 9degree(s) East location which addresses
high-growth video markets across Europe. A high-capacity Ku-band satellite
called EUTELSAT 9B, ordered from Astrium, will be launched to 9degree(s)
East at the end of 2014.

Open for business since 2007, Eutelsat's 9degree(s) East position is
currently occupied by the 38-transponder EUROBIRD(TM) 9A satellite.
Broadcasting 320 channels, of which over 10% already in HD, it is one of the
Group's fastest-growing neighbourhoods. Its close proximity to Eutelsat's
flagship HOT BIRD(TM) satellites at 13degree(s) East also gives satellite
viewers the opportunity to increase viewing choice through a dual-feed
antenna.

The deployment of the 66-transponder EUTELSAT 9B satellite will take
9degree(s) East to a new level of performance, increasing resources by over
70%. Capacity will be spread across five footprints, with frequency reuse
significantly increasing overall bandwidth.

One pan-European footprint will deliver wide coverage for channels
seeking maximum reach into satellite homes and to terrestrial headends
(cable, ADSL, DTT ...). Four focused footprints will individually address
high-growth digital TV markets in Italy, Germany, Greece and the
Nordic/Baltic regions. This regional footprint model will enable pay-TV
platforms and national DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) programmes to
efficiently address linguistic markets and in parallel leverage reception
from the HOT BIRD(TM) neighbourhood. The regional mission for Italy has been
designed in partnership with ASI (the Italian Space Agency). Its usage will
be shared between ASI, for Italian institutional requirements, and Eutelsat,
for video broadcasting in one of Europe's most dynamic TV markets.

The EUTELSAT 9B satellite has also been selected by Astrium Services to
host the first data relay payload for the European Data Relay Satellite
System (EDRS) being implemented through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
between Astrium and ESA. The EDRS system of telecommunications satellites in
geostationary orbit will allow very high data rate, bi-directional data
relay communications between Low Earth Orbit Earth Observation satellites
and an associated ground segment.

Commenting on the new programme, Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO, said.
"This new satellite underscores our commitment to continue to invest in fast
growing regions in our core video markets and to address new markets. We are
delighted to partner with ASI, Italy's national space agency, on building
complementary resources for the Italian market which add toits selection of
KA-SAT to develop broadband connectivity for public administrations.
Eutelsat is also proud to be part of ESA's flagship EDRS programme, driven
by Astrium Services, to provide Europe with independent, on demand access to
Earth observation data from LEO satellites in real-time."

Based on the successful Eurostar E3000 platform, EUTELSAT 9B will have a
launch mass of 5,300 kg and an electrical power of 12 kW. It is the 21st
satellite ordered by Eutelsat from Astrium. The share of the investment
required for this programme over the next three years is included in
Eutelsat's capital expenditure outlook for the period July 2011 to June
2014.

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. As of 30 June 2011, Eutelsat's satellites were
broadcasting more than 3,800 television channels. More than 1,100 channels
are broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East
alone 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 access to high speed internet
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 just over 700 commercial, technical and operational professionals
from 30 countries.

http://www.eutelsat.com

Source: Eutelsat Communications

Press Vanessa O'Connor - Tel. : + 33-1-53-98-37-91 -voconnor@eutelsat.fr ; Frédérique Gautier - Tel. : + 33-1-53-98-37-91 - fgautier@eutelsat.fr ; Analysts and Investors - Lisa Finas - Tel. : +33-1-53-98-35-30, investors@eutelsat-communications.com ; Léonard Wapler, Tel. : +33-1-53-98-31-07, investors@eutelsat-communications.com

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