Eutelsat Opens New Neighbourhood at 9 Degrees East With Eurobird(TM) 9 Satellite (Formerly Hot Bird(TM) 2)

Eutelsat Opens New Neighbourhood at 9 Degrees East With Eurobird(TM) 9 Satellite (Formerly Hot Bird(TM) 2)

Market Opens for Dual-Feed Reception of Channels From 9 Degrees East and 13 Degrees East, Eutelsat's Premium HOT BIRD(TM) Video Neighbourhood

PARIS, May 15/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) announces that its HOT
BIRD(TM) 2 satellite has been redeployed to 9 degrees East. Rebranded
EUROBIRD(TM) 9, the satellite's entry into service marks the opening of a new
video neighbourhood, which is adjacent to Eutelsat's premium HOT BIRD(TM)
position. Reception of channels from both locations is possible with
off-the-shelf dual-feed domestic dishes.

The repositioning of EUROBIRD(TM) 9 follows the successful launches in
2006 of Eutelsat's HOT BIRD(TM) 7A and 8 satellites. Together with HOT
BIRD(TM) 6, these large satellites today broadcast more than 1,000 channels,
of which over 50 per cent are free-to-air from the Group's 13 degrees East
position. Their entry into service has enabled Eutelsat to pursue the
development of its in-orbit resource by redeploying high-performance HOT
BIRD(TM) satellites to other locations with strong growth potential.*

Optimised for DTH (Direct-to-Home) broadcasting, EUROBIRD(TM) 9 delivers
20 fully operational Ku-band transponders supplying coverage across Europe,
North Africa and the Middle East. In order to support the market for
multi-satellite reception, which is afforded by the proximity of its orbital
positions, Eutelsat is developing new low-cost consumer solutions to enable
existing HOT BIRD(TM) installations to be easily upgraded to receive channels
from 9 degrees East via a second LNB fitted beside the LNB directed to the
HOT BIRD(TM) neighbourhood.

Eutelsat has already concluded a first contract for capacity on
EUROBIRD(TM) 9 with the Portuguese cable operator TVTEL, which has announced
it will shortly launch a new pay-TV platform for the Portuguese market. Using
two transponders on the satellite to address principally almost two million
television homes in Portugal only receiving analogue over-the-air channels,
TVTEL's platform will begin with 20 digital channels. Encrypted with Conax,
they will include Portugal's four national channels and a package of 16
thematic channels broadcasting content ranging from movies, documentaries,
music, serials, news and sports. TVTEL will also market dual-feed antennas in
Portugal so that homes can have access to the broad range of international
channels available free-to-air from the HOT BIRD(TM) neighbourhood.

Commenting on the entry into service of EUROBIRD(TM) 9, Giuliano
Berretta, CEO of Eutelsat Communications said: "The deployment of
EUROBIRD(TM) 9 at 9 degrees East, underpins our objective to optimise our
video neighbourhoods in order to meet continued demand for capacity for
Standard Digital and HDTV channels. It is our conviction that with the
availability of low-cost dual-feed antennas for enriching channel reception
from more than one orbital location, Europe is poised to move into an era of
multi-satellite reception which is already commonplace in strong satellite
markets around the world, notably North America."

* 7 degrees West for ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 4 (formerly HOT BIRD(TM) 4); 4
degrees East for EUROBIRD(TM) 4 (formerly HOT BIRD(TM) 3)

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

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

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