Telespazio and Eutelsat Sign Multi-Year Agreement to Market KA-SAT Services in Italy

PARIS and ROME, November 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Telespazio (Finmeccanica/Thales) and Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) have signed a strategic agreement for the marketing of broadband services in Italy using KA-SAT, the innovative High Throughput Satellite. The initiative supports Italy's Digital Agenda to reduce the digital divide by increasing broadband deployment.

Under the agreement, Telespazio will commercialise broadband services in Italy and other major European economies using KA-SAT. It will also benefit from the KA-SAT platform to develop new broadband services. By integrating KA-SAT services with existing fixed and mobile solutions, Telespazio will be able to design and offer tailored communication services to its business and institutional customers.

Eutelsat Chairman and CEO, Michel de Rosen, stated, "We are particularly pleased with this agreement with Telespazio, a longstanding Eutelsat partner. Cooperation in KA-SAT services will lead to a significant growth of the Italian market, where Telespazio has always played a central role in the business, corporate, and institutional sectors. We are confident that this new step will favour increased take-up of services through KA-SAT by large Italian telecommunications companies."

Telespazio CEO, Luigi Pasquali, added, "This new agreement reinforces Telespazio's intent to act as a partner of choice for companies and institutions in the implementation of programmes of interest to the community. I believe that the services, provided through KA-SAT and combined with Telespazio's many years of experience in integrated communications, will offer solutions aimed toward significantly reducing the Digital Divide."

About Telespazio

Telespazio, a Finmeccanica/Thales 67/33 joint venture, is one of the world's leading operators in satellite services. Its activities range from the design and development of space systems to the management of launch services, from in-orbit satellite control to Earth observation, from integrated communications, satellite navigation and localisation services to scientific programmes. Telespazio plays a leading role in the reference markets harnessing technological experience acquired over the years. Since its establishment, the company has participated in major European space programmes such as Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus and COSMO-SkyMed. In 2012, Telespazio generated sales of EUR 562 million while employing approximately 2,500 people worldwide.  http://www.telespazio.com

About Eutelsat Communications

With capacity commercialised on 31 satellites delivering reach of  Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, significant parts of the Americas and the Asia-Pacific, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world's leading satellite operators. As of 30 September 2013, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting more than 4,700 television channels to over 200 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Group's satellites also provide a wide range of services for TV contribution, corporate networks and fixed and mobile broadband markets. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ over 780 commercial, technical and operational professionals from 30 countries. http://www.eutelsat.com

SOURCE TELESPAZIO and Eutelsat Communications