Eutelsat and dcinex to Create a One-Stop-Shop for the Digital Cinema Market in Europe

Eutelsat and dcinex to Create a One-Stop-Shop for the Digital Cinema Market in Europe

AMSTERDAM, September 7, 2012/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

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Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL), one of the world's top satellite
operators, and dcinex from Belgium, Europe's leading digital cinema company, today
announced an agreement to create a joint venture company called DSAT Cinema specialised in
servicing the cinema industry in Europe as it accelerates the transition from celluloid to
digitisation. The two enterprises will combine their experience to become the point of
reference in the fast-growing market for management and distribution of 2D and 3D films as
well as exceptional cultural events to screens across Europe.



Digital cinema has been taking hold over the last decade, with the market gaining
traction since 2010 as the industry accelerates the shift to full digitisation of
cinematographic data, processing, distribution and projection. Technological advancements,
including 2k, 4k and Stereoscopic 3D digital projection, are further enhancing quality and
generating Digital Cinema Packages (DCP) of hundreds of Gigabytes. Efficient content
distribution is a key success factor to this market, with satellite emerging as the most
cost-effective platform for secure transmissions to cinemas irrespective of their
location. Heavy files that otherwise take days to deliver can be received and stored by
satellite in just a few hours.



Eutelsat and dcinex have been steadily building expertise in this market over the last
three years. More than 700 sites in 20 European countries are already equipped by Eutelsat
for reception of live and pre-recorded content. Its satellites regularly manage high-speed
transfers of up to 140 Mbps via hubs in France and Italy with network operations managed
in Europe by OpenSky. Dcinex has deployed 2,000 digital screens in Europe with a further
3,000 to deploy by 2014. The company is also the first in Europe to have Virtual Print Fee
(VPF) deployment agreements with all major US studios.



DSAT Cinema will offer a single point of contact for a full range of services,
radically simplifying the process of operating in a fully digital environment for content
owners and distributors. The new venture will be led by Fabrice Testa, an industry
professional in building digital screen networks and content distribution. Fabrice is
currently Vice-President Alternative Content & Distribution Development at dcinex
following over 10 years of international experience in digital projection and content
production.



Marc Welinski, Director of marketing of Eutelsat stated: "Over 50% of cinema screens
in Europe are now capable of digital projection, with forecasts that the market will be
virtually 100% digital by the middle of the decade. Satellites are a natural distribution
platform for this fast-growing sector, providing bandwidth and coverage to efficiently
deliver rich content to screens across Europe. We are delighted to pursue this opportunity
with dcinex that has proven skills and an entrepreneurial approach. This joint venture
will further increase Eutelsat's expertise in emerging formats such as 4k and will be a
major player serving distributors and exhibitors."



Serge Plasch, CEO of dcinex added: "This joint venture will buttress dcinex's
objective to enable content owners and distributors to easily and securely deliver their
content to cinemas equipped with digital technology. It will benefit from the support of
dcinex services that include sales, installation, postproduction and digital rights
management. Working with Eutelsat, in this venture we will be equipped to offer a unique
one-stop-shop service to the cinema industry in Europe."



About dcinex(TM)



dcinex(TM), born from the rebranding of XDC, FTT and BewegteBilder, is a pan-European
end-to-end cinema sales and service organization with full geographic coverage across all
European countries. dcinex(TM) Exhibitor Services provides end-to-end solutions for movies
theatres, from financing and deployment to training, maintenance and support services.
dcinex(TM) Content Services offers a complete range of postproduction, mastering and
transcoding as well as pan-European physical and electronic delivery, digital rights
management & alternative content. http://www.dcinex.com



About Eutelsat



With capacity commercialised on 28 satellites that provide coverage across Europe, as
well as the Middle East, Africa and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat
Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world's three
leading satellite operators. As of 30 June 2012 Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting
more than 4,250 television channels to over 200 million cable and satellite homes in
Europe, the Middle East and 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 high
speed Internet services through teleports in France and Italy that serve consumers,
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 750 commercial, technical and operational professionals. This culturally
diverse staff comprises employees from 30 countries. http://www.eutelsat.com





Source: Eutelsat Communications and dcinex(TM)

Contact: Angela Bünger - Press Officer: Tel.: +49 211 52287514, angela.buenger@dcinex.com; 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; Marie-Sophie Ecuer, Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91, mecuer@eutelsat.fr; Investors and analysts, Lisa Finas, Tel: +33 1 53 98 35 30, investors@eutelsat-communications.com; Leonard Wapler, Tel. : +33 1 53 98 31 07, investors@eutelsat-communications.com





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