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R/13/10

EUTELSAT STATEMENT CONCERNING TRANSMISSION OF BBC PERSIAN, DEUTSCHE WELLE AND VOICE OF AMERICA IN PERSIAN, VIA ITS SATELLITES

Paris, 17 March 2010

Eutelsat wishes to give the following clarification regarding the transmission via its satellites of BBC Persian, Deutsche Welle and Voice of America in Persian, which are the target of repeated and deliberate jamming operations:

1. Eutelsat continually carries out technical operations aiming to preserve transmission of BBC Persian and Voice of America via its HOT BIRD^TM 8 satellite. Both channels have been transmitted via this satellite without disruption or jamming since the beginning of March;

2. When jamming first began, Eutelsat decided to duplicate the BBC Persian and Voice of America channels on other satellites within its fleet that are more resistant to jamming from Iran. Today, BBC Persian and Voice of America are also transmitted via the W3A satellite in addition to HOT BIRD^TM 8;

3. Several complaints have been lodged by Eutelsat over the last 10 months with the relevant French and international telecommunications regulatory authorities to denounce these deliberate jamming operations. A first complaint was made to the ANFR (Agence Nationale des Fréquences Française) in May 2009. A second complaint was lodged in February 2010, via the official channel of the Eutelsat Intergovernmental Organisation to prompt the International Telecommunication Union’s Radio Regulations Board (ITU-R) to give priority to address the matter. The board is to meet between 22 and 26 March.

4. This situation has also prompted a joint initiative on 16 March 2010 by the French, British and German Ministers of Foreign Affairs, who called upon all European Union Member States to adopt a declaration denouncing the jamming operations at the next Foreign Affairs Council meeting due to be held on 22 March.

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 2009, Eutelsat’s satellites were broadcasting more than 3,400 television channels and close to 1,100 radio stations. More than 1,000 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD™ video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East which serves over 123 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 635 employees from 27 countries.

www.eutelsat.com

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