Italy’s Telespazio Renews Multiple Contracts With Eutelsat for Occasional-use and Outside Broadcasting by RAI Television Channels

PARIS, February 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Telespazio, Italy’s leading
satellite services company, has renewed leases on two satellites operated by
Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) for professional video
contribution services and the outside broadcast purposes of RAI, the
country’s national public broadcaster. The renewal of this contract was
announced today in Rome on the occasion of the SATEXPO international
conference and exhibition.

The two 72MHz transponders have been leased on a multi-year basis on
Eutelsat’s ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 1 and W3A satellites. Both satellites provide
superior coverage of Italy for domestic newsgathering requirements and
support RAI’s ongoing requirements for a constant flow of coverage of news,
sports and special events in a footprint spanning Europe, North Africa and
the Middle East.

The permanent availability of this capacity gives RAI the full
flexibility to manage short news items broadcast in Standard Digital, as well
as premium events in HD that require 42 Mbps carriers. It also guarantees RAI
easy access as required to premium choice bandwidth with no notice.

Olivier Millies-Lacroix, Eutelsat Commercial Director commented on the
contract: “We are delighted that Telespazio and RAI are renewing their
confidence in Eutelsat with the extension of capacity on ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 1
and W3A. Satellites are firmly anchored as a key platform for instant and
quality coverage of news and sports events, providing both reach and
bandwidth availability for efficient delivery of broadcast quality content.
This forms a core video activity for Eutelsat and we are encouraged to even
further improve our service by the trust placed in us by customers who are a
hallmark for first-class performance.”

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 September 2009, Eutelsat’s satellites were
broadcasting 3,300 television channels and 1,100 radio stations. More than
1,000 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) 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 615
commercial, technical and operational employees from 28 countries.

    http://www.eutelsat.com

    For further information

    Press
    Vanessa O'Connor
    Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88
    voconnor@eutelsat.fr

    Frederique Gautier
    Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88
    fgautier@eutelsat.fr

    Investors
    Gilles Janvier
    Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-30
    investors@eutelsat-communications.com

SOURCE Eutelsat Communications