PR/48/09

NOORSAT INCREASES CAPACITY ON EUTELSAT SATELLITES TO RAMP UP BROADCASTING SERVICES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Paris, 1 October 2009

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) and NOORSAT Co. W.L.L, one of the leading operators of satellite services in the Middle East, today announced the signature of a multi-year contract for the lease of three additional transponders on Eutelsat’s ATLANTIC BIRD™ 4A satellite.

Four years from the launch of its first broadcasting services, NOORSAT, which is based in Manama, Bahrain, has emerged as one of the three leading players for satellite TV services in the Middle East. Its broadcasting activities now comprise delivery of over 170 free-to-air and subscription channels, including some channels of the recently merged Orbit and Showtime platforms.

NOORSAT’s services operate principally at Eutelsat’s two major video neighbourhoods addressing the Middle East: 7° West, occupied by ATLANTIC BIRD™ 4A, and 25.5° East occupied by EUROBIRD™ 2. NOORSAT’s business portfolio also covers the provision of corporate networks and Internet access services via Eutelsat’s W6 and ATLANTIC BIRD™ 2 satellites, with the latter also used to broadcast Arabic and international channels to Arab expatriates living in Europe. In addition, NOORSAT offers a range of transmit services on capacity leased from Eutelsat, uplinked from its teleports in Manama, Lavrio (Greece) and Rome and other partner teleports in order to provide turnkey broadcasting services to client broadcasters.

Omar Shoter, NOORSAT’s CEO, commented on the new contract: “By increasing our capacity at Eutelsat’s 7° West neighbourhood, NOORSAT is able to offer its clients extensive coverage of DTH homes in the Middle East. Our expansion is based on the prospect of seeing the number of channels in the MENA region increase over the next three years. We are preparing for the expected introduction of High Definition TV channels (HDTV) and will be offering our customers the capacity they need. To build headroom for growth it is important for us to look to the long term and extend our cooperation with a partner as reliable as Eutelsat.”

Giuliano Berretta, Chairman and CEO of Eutelsat Communications, added: “NOORSAT’s remarkable growth since the launch in 2005 of its first services on Eutelsat bears witness to the dynamic of digital broadcast markets in the Middle East. We are delighted to support NOORSAT’s ongoing expansion by providing additional resources on our ATLANTIC BIRD™ 4A satellite. This new contract underlines Eutelsat’s privileged position in this region and further anchors the leading role of our 7° West and 25.5° East neighbourhoods.”

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 2009, Eutelsat’s satellites were broadcasting almost 3,200 television channels and 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 610 commercial, technical and operational employees from 28 countries.

www.eutelsat.com

About NOORSAT Global Satellite Communications

NOORSAT Co. W.L.L was established to cater for the Arab world satellite-based service requirements with special focus on satisfying the increasing demand for satellite DTH TV service. With capacity at the only hotspots serving the Arab World from EUROBIRD™ 2 satellite at 25.5° E and ATLANTIC BIRD™ 4A at 7° W, NOORSAT offers the unique opportunity to broadcasters to guarantee the instant reach to all satellite TV receiving dishes in the Arab World. NOORSAT extends its coverage with ATLANTIC BIRD™ 2, serving Arab expatriates in Europe with high power and large coverage that extends to most of the populated areas of many Arab countries as well. NOORSAT satellites capacities and widespread network of teleports are optimum for; video broadcasting, direct to homes TV, cable-head ends, satellite newsgathering and TV programs exchange. It serves the needs for broadband access, and corporate data and telephony networks.

www.noorsat.com

NOORSAT

Marketing & Sales Dept. Tel: +962 6 55 01 155 marketing@noorsat.com