PR/42/12

Eutelsat sets a new benchmark for satellite broadband via KA-SAT

Launch of higher user speeds, increased volume allowance, equipment rental programme and new entry level package for the Tooway™ broadband service

Paris, 5 July 2012 - Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced major improvements to its Tooway™ satellite service which will enhance the speed and affordability of consumer satellite broadband across Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. Offering higher bitrates, increased consumption profiles and lower entry costs, the latest generation of Tooway™ broadband services is now available and is being progressively commercialised by distributors integrating the new offers into their service portfolio.

Up to 18Mbps immediately for consumers, irrespective of location

The Tooway™ portfolio of services delivered via Eutelsat’s KA-SAT High Throughput Satellite now offers download speeds of up to 18 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 6Mbps, with consumption profiles of up to 50 Gigabytes per month. This means that the top of the range consumer package has been boosted to 18Mbps from 10Mbps, with high volume allowances across the range, while pricing levels remain the same. A new entry level package is also being launched, offering download speeds of up to 2Mbps and upload speeds of up to 1Mbps for an expected retail price from €19.90¹.

This move towards a faster, higher volume service has been facilitated by an upgrade of the digital modulation scheme of the KA-SAT infrastructure, from 8PSK² to 16APSK, generating a significant increase in the system’s total throughput.

In order to lower entry costs, Eutelsat’s broadband affiliate, Skylogic, is also rolling out an attractive hardware rental programme in certain countries to enable distributors to opt to rent user equipment to new customers.

“Today’s announcement shows our commitment to further enhancing the performance of the Tooway™ service which is fundamentally about connecting people – both those in areas unserved and underserved by ADSL,” said Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO. “The update last month of the EU’s Digital Scorecard shows that as many as 10 million homes in the EU27 are still not broadband-equipped. This means there is still work to be done to meet the objectives of the Digital Agenda in Europe and at a broader level across the full KA-SAT footprint. We believe that the enhanced Tooway™ service and the improved user equipment programme will forward the move to satellite broadband for those still struggling with mediocre Internet access, depriving them of the social and economic benefits of broadband.”

Tooway™ consumer service packages

* Bandwidth reduced to 128 kbps beyond volume consumption.

The Tooway™ customer equipment comprises a 77cm satellite dish and a sleek modem, which is connected to a PC or Mac via an Ethernet connection. Customers can select professional or self-installation. The equipment is installed by pointing the dish to 9° East using an included sound beeper and following indications on-screen to activate the modem. Tooway™ system can also be used for Voice over IP and IPTV. With a dual-feed (Ku-Ka), Direct-to-Home reception of television channels from adjacent broadcast satellites is also possible.

Photos available at: http://www.eutelsat.com/products/broadband-tooway.html

About Skylogic - www.skylogic.com and www.tooway.com

Skylogic provides satellite broadband communications services for Internet access (via IP protocol) and for television transmissions to corporate enterprises and public bodies. The Turin-based company is a subsidiary of Eutelsat. SkyPark, Skylogic’s teleport, houses one of the largest platforms in the world for two-way broadband IP transmissions. Skylogic’s satellite networks are interconnected by optic fibre to the largest operators in the sector, guaranteeing connectivity in Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East, North Africa and America.

About Eutelsat Communications (www.eutelsat.com)

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 is one of the world's three leading satellite operators. As of 31 March 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.