Tiscali Selects Eutelsat's Tooway(TM) Satellite Broadband Service to Extend Broadband in Italy

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Jul 22, 2010, 11:45 ET

PARIS, July 22, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tiscali, one of Italy's main independent telecommunications companies, and Eutelsat Communications (Paris Euronext: ETL) today announced the signature of an agreement that will allow Tiscali to expand its range of broadband products with the launch of a satellite service targeting homes across Italy beyond range of high-speed terrestrial networks. Branded Tiscali BroadbandSat, the service uses the Tooway(TM) consumer broadband technology provided by Eutelsat Communications and its Skylogic affiliate. Tiscali's choice of Tooway(TM) will enable it to leverage the seamless coverage provided by satellites to reach into the 12% of the Italian population unserved by ADSL or fibre.

Tooway(TM) is the first satellite based two-way broadband solution in Europe offering speeds and costs comparable to ADSL. The service is based on Eutelsat's satellite coverage, the commercial and infrastructure operating experience of its Skylogic subsidiary, and technology developed by ViaSat which already powers Internet access for over 500,000 homes in North America. In Europe, Tooway(TM) is already serving customers in more than 20 countries including the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Ireland, with additional countries preparing to roll out service.

The Tooway(TM) solution consists of a small satellite dish and a modem connected to the PC via the Ethernet, giving customers immediate broadband access following simple installation. With no need for a telephone connection, the service provides two-way wireless Internet access with speeds of 3.6 Mbps to the PC and 512 kbps from the PC. Tooway(TM) is currently provided using Ka-band capacity on Eutelsat's HOT BIRD(TM) 6 satellite. With speeds starting from 10 Mbps, performance will be further enhanced in spring 2011 with the commercial availability of Eutelsat's KA-SAT satellite which is being prepared for launch in November this year.

"We are delighted to enlarge our broadband service portfolio with the Tooway(TM) consumer broadband technology provided by Eutelsat", says Luca Scano, General Manager at Tiscali. "Their expertise and satellite technology will support our mission to make broadband available in the most extended manner and with the best ratio in terms of price and quality."

Arduino Patacchini, CEO of Skylogic and Multimedia Director of Eutelsat, added: "The selection of Tooway(TM) by one of the most innovative telecom companies to emerge in Europe since the Internet revolution took off is a key milestone for us. It underscores the validity of our technology and highlights just how far satellites are anchored as a core technology for achieving universal broadband access. We are delighted that Tiscali is integrating Tooway(TM) into its portfolio of broadband services."

About Tiscali

Tiscali S.p.A. (Borsa Italiana, Milan: TIS) is one of the largest telecommunications companies in Italy. Tiscali supplies a wide range of services to its customers, both private individuals and companies: internet access through dial-up and ADSL, as well as voice, VoIP, media, and added-value services and other technologically advanced products. As of 31st March 2010 Tiscali had more than 722 thousand active users in Italy, of which 572 thousand are ADSL users. Of these, 332 thousand are Dual Play customers.

The Tiscali website may be accessed at http://www.tiscali.it

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 31 March 2010, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting more than 3,500 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 650 commercial, technical and operational employees from 28 countries.