PARIS and BOLZANO, Italy, December 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Tooway(TM) broadband service operated by the Skylogic affiliate of Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) has been selected by Brennercom, the principal telecom operator in the South Tyrol, to ensure there are no exclusions to the benefits of broadband across the Italian-German-speaking province. Brennercom is deploying Tooway(TM) in partnership with Raiffeisen OnLine, a leading ISP and Run, a network infrastructure manager specialised in serving banks in the South Tyrol.

Brennercom, Raiffeisen OnLine and Run will each leverage the universal coverage of the Tooway(TM) satellite service to deliver broadband to local authorities, businesses and consumers currently deprived of broadband. The satellite kit and user costs, subsidised through public funds, will be made available on request to homes located beyond range of ADSL and terrestrial wireless networks, principally in remote towns and the many hamlets of the mountainous province.

Enabling download speeds of up to 3.6 Mbps and uploads of up to 384 Kbps Tooway(TM) is the most advanced satellite service in Europe for delivering two-way broadband connectivity with no dependency on telephone lines. The service already available today will be supplemented by Eutelsat's all Ka-band multi-beam satellite, KA-SAT, which will be launched at the end of 2010. Tooway(TM) is provided by Skylogic using its Turin teleport, while Brennercom, Raiffeisen Online and Run will each manage their own distribution and commercial strategies.

Commenting on the selection of Tooway(TM), Karl Manfredi, Brennercom CEO stated. "Our company, together with our partners in this joint venture, Raiffeisen OnLine and Run, has already built-up vital experience in delivering broadband to 44 outlying areas within the South Tyrol region. Through this advanced satellite system we will be able to deliver fast Internet connections to areas that we and our competitors could previously not serve. We have full confidence in Eutelsat and Skylogic's solution and plan to deploy it as fast and as effectively as possible."

"Satellite is a critical complement to ADSL, fibre and radio systems for extending Internet connectivity to high altitude areas in our region", Helmut Stroblmair, Raiffeisen OnLine chairman added. "Further expanding the already good broadband coverage is a major boost for the local economy and competitiveness of local business."

"The agreement with Brennercom to provide coverage with zero exceptions throughout the South Tyrol is testament to the high standard and effectiveness of our broadband satellite service", Renato Farina, Skylogic Managing Director confirmed. "Satellite technology is now anchored locally, nationally and Europewide as an essential component for bridging the digital divide, and Tooway(TM) has proved once again to be the perfect solution."

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
    http://www.tooway.com

    For further information

    Press

    Vanessa O'Connor   Tel:              voconnor@eutelsat.fr
                       +33-1-53-98-38-88
    Frederique Gautier Tel:              fgautier@eutelsat.fr
                       +33-1-53-98-38-88
    Investors
    Gilles Janvier     Tel:             investors@eutelsat-communications.com
                       +33-1-53-98-35-30

SOURCE Eutelsat Communications

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