Eutelsat Powers Up a New Orbital Position to Drive Expansion in High Growth Markets

Eutelsat Powers Up a New Orbital Position to Drive Expansion in High Growth Markets

PARIS, July 28, 2011/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced that it is
expanding its commercial response to high-growth video, data, telecom and
broadband markets with the opening of business at the 3degree(s) East
orbital position. To support further long-term expansion, Eutelsat has
selected Astrium to build a tri-band satellite, which will increase and
diversify its resources for markets in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia
and South America. Called Eutelsat 3B, the satellite will operate in C, Ku
and Ka-bands and be launched in early 2014.

In advance of Eutelsat 3B, resources on a satellite now called Eutelsat
3A were deployed this month to 3degree(s) East. This capacity is able to
deliver users powerful coverage of Europe and North Africa for services that
include GSM backhaul, data networks, IP backbone connectivity and maritime
applications.

To complement Eutelsat's capacity portfolio and geographic reach, the
Eutelsat 3B satellite will add resources in three frequency bands connected
to fixed and steerable antennas for maximum flexibility. With a single
platform assembling Ku, C and Ka transponders, users will be able to select
the most relevant frequency band for different types of service. Ku and
C-band capacity will further consolidate Eutelsat's response to broadcast
and data markets that represent the two most dynamic applications in the
Fixed Satellite Services sector. High throughput beams in the Ka-band, that
will be individually steerable to regional and national markets and operated
with scalable allocation of power and spectrum, will in addition support
innovative applications in bandwidth-demanding markets.

Commenting on Eutelsat's new programme, Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO,
said. "By opening a new orbital position for business now with Eutelsat 3A,
and securing varied and highly flexible capacity for the future with
Eutelsat 3B, we are adding a new layer of diversity to the resources we can
provide to multiple markets with long-term growth potential. This is an
exciting step forward for Eutelsat. It underscores our commitment to
pursuing an active investment strategy in innovative satellite programmes in
order to win and retain the confidence of customers operating in
differentiated and vibrant markets."

Up to 51 transponders on Eutelsat 3B will be configured as follows:

- A Ku-band payload of up to 30 transponders will be connected
to widebeam footprints over extended Europe and East Africa. A steerable
beam will add further flexibility, with coverage possible of South
America or African regions. This capacity will address video
contribution, corporate networks, data and telecom markets.
- A C-band payload with 12 transponders connected to a pan-African
beam will respond to continued high demand for capacity for telecom
services.
- A Ka-band payload of nine transponders connected to steerable
beams that are in particular expected to cover Africa and South America
will meet expanding connectivity requirements for corporate networks and
Internet access.

The Eutelsat 3B satellite will be based on the Astrium Eurostar 3000
platform. Weighing 6 tonnes at launch, the satellite will be designed with
15 year life expectancy. The investment required for this programme is
included in Eutelsat's capital expenditure outlook for the period July 1,
2011 to June 30, 2014.

Image available on request

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 30 June 2011, Eutelsat's satellites were
broadcasting more than 3,800 television channels. 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 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 employees from 30
countries.

http://www.eutelsat.com

Source: Eutelsat Communications

For further information: 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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