France Televisions Selects Eutelsat to Launch Digital Public Broadcasting for Reunion Island and Mayotte

PARIS, December 6, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — One week after France’s
national public broadcaster initiated delivery via the W2A satellite of
Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) channels to terrestrial towers in
Reunion Island and Mayotte, France Televisions and Eutelsat Communications
(Euronext Paris: ETL) announce that a second satellite signal has been opened
to enable commercial operators in the region to integrate digital public
channels into their platforms.

Using capacity on Eutelsat’s W2A satellite to deliver channels to
terrestrial towers, the launch of DTT on December 1 enables the population of
both Indian Ocean islands to access an offer of 10 free-to-air digital
channels, compared to the previous offer of one over-the-air analogue
channel, Tempo.

France Televisions is now taking digital broadcasting a further step
forward with the launch of a second satellite signal, operated at Eutelsat’s
16degrees East position, which already serves all commercial operators in
francophone Indian Ocean islands. This new signal enables France Televisions
to meet its obligations to complement terrestrial broadcasting with
Direct-to-Home satellite reception and also to ensure the availability of
public channels to commercial platforms.

Nine public service channels (France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5,
France O, Arte, France 24, Reunion 1ere and Mayotte 1ere) are uplinked by
France Televisions direct to Eutelsat capacity from metropolitan France. TDF,
that operates the terrestrial broadcast network in Reunion Island and
Mayotte, subsequently adds on site the signals of the two local commercial
channels, Antenne Reunion and Tele Kreol.

The contract concluded between Eutelsat and France Televisions represents
the equivalent of a full transponder, which is currently operated on W2A at
10 degrees East for technical services to terrestrial towers, and on W2M at
16 degrees East for Direct-to-Home satellite reception by homes beyond range
of terrestrial reception and for channel availability to commercial
operators. Following the scheduled arrival in mid-2011 of Eutelsat’s W3C
satellite at 16 degrees East, France Televisions will concentrate all digital
services for francophone Indian Ocean islands at a single neighbourhood.

Christian Augereau, Operations Director for overseas territories at
France Televisions, commented on the agreement: “The selection of Eutelsat
enables France Televisions to significantly expand an offer of free-to-air
public channels for viewers in Reunion Island and Mayotte and further
consolidates a longstanding partnership between our two companies. With
satellite delivery of channels to terrestrial towers, direct to homes beyond
terrestrial reception and to commercial platforms, the entire population of
both islands can immediately benefit from digital public broadcasting
services. DTT also represents an opportunity for local channels in Reunion
Island and Mayotte to transition into a digital environment at the same pace
as national channels.”

Andrew Wallace, Eutelsat’s Chief Commercial Officer, added: “The launch
in digital of nine public channels for Reunion Island and Mayotte, in
comparison to one analogue channel, represents a transformation of the
television landscape. We are delighted to be playing our role in this step
forward, and also to ensure availability of public channels for the
commercial platforms serving both islands that broadcast without exception
from our video neighbourhood at 16 degrees East.”

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 30 September 2010, Eutelsat’s satellites were
broadcasting more than 3,700 television channels. More than 1,100 channels
broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East which
serves over 120 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 access to high speed internet 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 nearly
661 commercial, technical and operational employees from 28 countries

http://www.eutelsat.com

SOURCE Eutelsat Communications