☰

Empresas y finanzas

SES and Eutelsat Announce Joint Investment to Serve Markets for Mobile Broadcasting and Other Communications Services in Europe


    SES GLOBAL (Paris:SESG)(LuxX:SESG) and Eutelsat Communications
    (Euronext Paris: ETL) announce a joint investment in the first
    European satellite infrastructure for broadcasting video, radio and
    data to mobile devices and vehicle receivers.

    In view of the innovative nature of this market, SES and Eutelsat
    have agreed to join forces in a 50/50 joint venture company, which
    will operate and commercialise the S-band payload on W2A. The company
    will be set up by SES ASTRA and Eutelsat following approval from
    relevant regulatory agencies. The S-band space segment represents an
    investment of approximately 130 million euros.

    The S-band (2.0 and 2.2 GHz), which represents a new frequency
    band for both SES and Eutelsat, provides a set of frequencies
    optimised for supporting a wireless distribution network for
    delivering video and other services to mobile devices, including
    phones, PDAs, laptops and vehicle receivers. Mobile video services
    represent a large and currently undeveloped market in Europe, emerging
    today through existing terrestrial solutions. The development of
    mobile video services through a satellite-based hybrid network will
    provide content providers and operators with alternative or
    complementary solutions to terrestrial-based networks and will bring
    the benefit of universal coverage that satellites can provide.

    Eutelsat has commissioned the W2A satellite from Alcatel Alenia
    Space for launch on Sea Launch in the beginning of 2009. W2A will be
    operated at 10 degrees East, with a state-of-the art S-band payload
    which will be an essential building-block for a hybrid infrastructure
    over Europe, combining satellite and terrestrial networks, to provide
    both universal coverage and indoor penetration for mobile video
    services. The S-band payload has also been optimised for a broad range
    of business applications such as security surveillance and other
    commercial data services including two-way communications.

    States Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES GLOBAL: "This joint
    investment will allow for the development of new, innovative satellite
    delivered mobile broadcast services, thereby enabling satellite to
    compete with as well as to complement terrestrial infrastructure
    solutions in the mobile television and radio distribution chain.
    Satellite provides a unique and highly efficient coverage and the
    joint investment will therefore increase choice and convenience for
    consumers, content providers and service providers. Mobile
    applications form an important element of our strategic development
    plan, and by joining forces with Eutelsat, this infrastructure
    investment offers an attractive business opportunity in line with our
    internal investment hurdle rates."

    Giuliano Berretta, Chairman and CEO of Eutelsat Communications,
    commented: " Digital content and the mobility afforded by new portable
    devices lie at the heart of the current dynamic in the communications
    landscape, bringing new revenue streams for electronics manufacturers,
    content and service providers, as well as new products for consumers.
    Through a resource, which is optimised in terms of bandwidth and
    universal coverage, satellite services using S-band frequencies can
    make a vital contribution to the overall success of the mobile
    broadcasting market while the design of the S-band payload is also
    fully suited for two-way communications. By adding this new payload to
    a platform using our traditional set of Ku-band and C-band frequencies
    it has also been possible to put in place an efficient and
    cost-effective solution for entering a new frequency band."

    About SES GLOBAL

    SES GLOBAL (Paris:SESG)(LuxX:SESG) wholly owns three
    market-leading satellite operators, SES ASTRA in Europe, SES AMERICOM
    in North America, and SES NEW SKIES, which provide global coverage and
    connectivity. The Company also holds strategic participations in
    AsiaSat in Asia, Star One in Latin America, SES Sirius in Europe, Ciel
    in Canada and Quetzsat in Mexico. Americom Government Services
    provides network solutions and bandwidth to the US government and its
    contractors. SES GLOBAL provides outstanding satellite communications
    solutions via a fleet of 44 satellites on 33 orbital positions around
    the globe.

    Additional information on SES GLOBAL is available at:

    www.ses-global.com

    About Eutelsat Communications

    Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code:
    FR001221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A. The Group is a
    leading satellite operator with capacity commercialised on 23
    satellites providing coverage of the entire European continent, as
    well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia
    and the Americas. The Group is one of the world's three leading
    satellite operators in terms of revenues. Its satellites are used for
    broadcasting more than 2,100 TV and 970 radio stations to more than
    120 million cable and satellite homes. The Group provides TV
    contribution services, corporate networks, mobile positioning and
    communications, Internet backbone connectivity and broadband access
    for terrestrial, maritime an d inflight applications. Eutelsat
    Communications is headquartered in Paris, and the Group's workforce
    comprises over 480 from 27 countries.

    Additional information on Eutelsat is available at:

    www.eutelsat.com