Eutelsat's HOT BIRD(TM) 9 Satellite Goes Live

Eutelsat's HOT BIRD(TM) 9 Satellite Goes Live

PARIS, February 17/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) announces the full entry
into commercial service of its HOT BIRD(TM) 9 satellite at 13 degrees East.
Built by EADS Astrium and launched on 20 December 2008 by Arianespace,
Eutelsat's new high-capacity broadcast satellite has a projected in-orbit
life of more than 15 years.

The smooth transfer of television and radio channels onto HOT BIRD(TM) 9
was completed this morning at 4am GMT by Eutelsat's control centre, working
in close collaboration with broadcast clients and providers of uplink
services.

With the entry into service of HOT BIRD(TM) 9, copositioned with
Eutelsat's HOT BIRD(TM) 6 and HOT BIRD(TM) 8 satellites, HOT BIRD(TM) 7A can
now be redeployed to 9 degrees East. Rebranded EUROBIRD(TM) 9A, the satellite
will assume all broadcasts currently carried by the 20 transponders on
EUROBIRD(TM) 9 and introduce 18 additional transponders at the 9 degrees East
neighbourhood, which has seen the number of channels more than double in one
year to almost 150. Released from this position, EUROBIRD(TM) 9 will continue
its useful life in orbit at another location.

HOT BIRD(TM) 9 has a payload of up to 64 Ku-band transponders and is the
second in Eutelsat's new generation of HOT BIRD(TM) broadcast satellites,
following HOT BIRD(TM) 8 which was launched in 2006. These high-capacity
spacecraft have the dual mission of renewing Eutelsat's resource at its
premium video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East and elevating in-orbit
security to industry-leading levels. The HOT BIRD(TM) neighbourhood today
broadcasts almost 1 100 television channels and 600 radio stations to an
audience of more than 120 million homes in Europe, the Middle East and North
Africa.

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is
the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 26
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 more than 3,200 television channels and 1,100 radio stations.
Almost 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 its
teleport in Italy that serves 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 27 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: +33-1-53-98-35-35
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: +33-1-53-98-35-35, investors@eutelsat-communications.com

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