Eutelsat and Eser Telekom Announce Agreement to Expand Reach of Tooway™ Satellite Broadband into Turkey and Neighbouring Countries

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Eutelsat Communications & Eser Telekom

Sep 07, 2011, 12:11 ET

PARIS et ISTANBUL, September 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL), Europe's leading satellite operator, today announced a three-year distribution agreement valued at €5 million between its Skylogic subsidiary and Eser Telekom to provide the new generation Tooway™ satellite broadband service in Turkey, Iraq, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Eser Telekom will use the Tooway™ service, delivered via Eutelsat's KA-SAT satellite, to provide high-speed broadband to the many enterprises and consumers beyond reach of terrestrial networks across the region. Working with local governments, Eser Telekom also plans to develop innovative KA-SAT-based solutions specifically for public administrations. The new agreement marks the first major contract in Turkey, Iraq, Georgia and Azerbaijan to leverage the powerful features of the KA-SAT platform.

With the consumer service offering download speeds of up to 10 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 4 Mbps, Tooway™ broadband will bring fast, reliable and affordable Internet access for Eser Telekom customers in areas with limited alternative solutions for broadband. The Tooway™ solution consists of a satellite dish and a modem connected to the PC via Ethernet, giving customers Internet access with no dependency on a telephone line.

Tolga Sönmezalp, Board Member of Eser Telekom, declared: "The conclusion with Skylogic of this important contract for the Tooway™ service delivered via Eutelsat's KA-SAT satellite will ensure that Eser Telekom consolidates its role as a key supplier of broadband infrastructure throughout Turkey. It will also allow Eser Telekom to quickly and effectively expand its presence in Iraq, Georgia and Azerbaijan in cooperation with our local partners in these countries."

Arduino Patacchini, CEO of Skylogic, added: "Tooway™ is the ideal service to meet the expectations of Eser Telekom's customers to quickly access the benefits of broadband. We are delighted to be working with Eser Telekom, the first major distribution partner in Turkey and neighbouring countries to benefit from the superior service delivered through KA-SAT. We look forward to building a close and longstanding relationship which contributes to building an inclusive digital environment across these regions."

About Eser Telekom

Established in 1978, Eser Telekom is one of the oldest private companies of Turkey and neighbouring countries that is operating in the telecommunications market. Eser Telekom provides satellite communication, teleport, wholesale international voice, fixed voice, internet and value added services to its operators and corporate customers from local and international markets. Headquartered in Ankara, Eser Telekom provides these services through its teleports and PoPs located in Frankfurt, Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.

http://www.esertelekom.com

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 June 2011, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting more than 3,800 television channels. More than 1,100 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD™ 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 just over 700 commercial, technical and operational employees from 30 countries.