Eutelsat Renews Partnership With Telecoms Sans Frontieres

PARIS, May 21, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL), one of the world's leading satellite operators, today renewed its partnership with Telecoms Sans Frontieres (TSF) to support the organisation's humanitarian aid operations throughout the world. The renewal of the partnership, first concluded in 2007, was signed by Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO and Jean-Francois Cazenave, President of Telecoms Sans Frontieres.

Based in Pau (France), with regional offices in Bangkok (Thailand) and Managua (Nicaragua), Telecoms Sans Frontieres is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) specialised in providing emergency telecommunications services. Since it was set up in 1998, more than 500 aid organisations operating in 60 countries have worked with TSF to restore immediate communications empowering relief and rescue teams and set up equipment and services needed for longer-term operations.

TSF has integrated Eutelsat's D-STAR broadband service into telecommunications solutions deployed for the humanitarian community active in Europe, Africa and the Americas. Operating independently from terrestrial networks, fast to install and able to serve single or multiple work stations and Wi-Fi networks, D-STAR terminals have been set up at strategic coordination centres in the immediate aftermath of events destroying terrestrial communications, as well as for longer term humanitarian work.

Beyond its response to major emergencies, TSF is reinforcing its long-term initiatives in Africa with the implementation of sustainable community telecommunications centres in some of the most remote and vulnerable areas. To help meet this objective, D-STAR terminals have been set up in Niger and Burkina Faso that can help develop the agricultural economy of isolated communities as well as medical and school services.

"With global issues to address such as climate change, energy shortage, increasing refugees and access to health, we are constantly looking for communications technologies that can have a fast and positive impact on the lives of the most underprivileged in the most unconnected regions of the world," said Jean-Francois Cazenave, President of TSF. "Eutelsat's satellite technology is a strong match for our needs. It enables us to react immediately to emergencies and also helps support long-term programmes, building up local capacities and improving life conditions."

Michel de Rosen responded: "In many cases, satellites are the sole immediate source of communication for relief operations. When we began our partnership with TSF, Eutelsat's objective was for our own turnkey satellite technologies to make a fast and concrete contribution to the organisation's remarkable mobilisation for victims of a disaster or conflict. With these first three years of experience now acquired, it is natural for us to renew our support for the leading NGO in emergency telecommunications, and we are proud to pursue this strong relationship."

About Telecoms Sans Frontieres

Telecoms Sans Frontieres: the leading humanitarian NGO specialised in emergency telecommunications.

With its 24-hour monitoring centre and relying on its operational bases in Europe, Central America and Asia, Telecoms Sans Frontieres (TSF) crews of IT and telecoms specialists can intervene anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours. After a sudden onset disaster or conflict, they can set up in a matter of minutes a satellite-based telecoms centre offering broadband Internet, phone and fax lines. These centres enable emergency NGOs, the United Nations and local authorities to communicate right at the heart of a crisis. They also facilitate the coordination of aid efforts. In parallel, TSF runs humanitarian calling operation to offer support and assistance to affected civilians, giving them a link with the outside world from which they would be otherwise completely cut off.

Beyond emergencies, TSF is also involved in long term prevention and cooperation projects that offer sustainable solutions to benefit local associations and structures in the most isolated and vulnerable communities.

Since its creation in 1998, TSF deployed to nearly 60 countries and assisted about 550 relief organisations and hundreds of thousands of victims. In 2006, TSF became a partner of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). TSF is First Responder of the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC).

Telecoms Sans Frontieres is also a working group member of the United Nations emergency telecoms body (WGET). TSF is a partner of the Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission (ECHO) and a member of the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA).

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.

    http://www.eutelsat.com

    Telecoms Sans Frontieres :
    Tel: +33-5-59-84-43-60
    [email protected]
    http://www.tsfi.org

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SOURCE Eutelsat Communications