Nilesat Inks 10-Year Contract With Eutelsat for Five Transponders at 7degrees West Position

News provided by

Nov 08, 2010, 09:00 ET

PARIS, November 8, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced that Nilesat, the Egyptian satellite company, has inked a 10-year contract for five transponders at the 7degrees West orbital position. The capacity will be activated in the first phase on Eutelsat's ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 4A satellite, and subsequently transferred to ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 7 which is scheduled for launch and deployment at 7degrees West in 2011.

This new contract forms part of the strategic agreement signed in March 2009 between Eutelsat and Nilesat to collaborate on a long-term basis on optimising resources at the 7degrees West position, which is used by both companies for satellite broadcasting across North Africa, and the Middle East.

Eutelsat has been partnering with Nilesat since July 2006 when its ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 4 satellite was copositioned at 7degrees West with the Nilesat satellites. This constellation of four satellites already broadcast over 660 television and 130 radio channels to users equipped for Direct-to-Home reception.

Ahmed Anis, CEO of Nilesat, said: "We are really enthusiastic about this partnership with Eutelsat which concurs with the launching of our new satellite Nilesat 201 at 7degrees West. These new capacities will definitely encourage new investment opportunities at 7degrees West "the Orbital position of the Arab Families".

Michel de Rosen, CEO of Eutelsat Communications, added: "Our continued close cooperation with Nilesat is making a core contribution to fuelling the transition into a fully digital broadcasting environment in North Africa and the Middle East. This new contract, to 2020, adds further weight to our relationship and strengthens our shared objective to leverage the 7degrees West neighbourhood to serve some of the most dynamic markets for digital services."

About Nilesat

Nilesat ,the leading satellite operator in the MENA region , is a Media Public Free Zone Egyptian Company established in July 1996, for operating DTH broadcasting satellites and uplinking facilities. Nilesat is a "one Stop shop" for satellite and ground services. It has launched 3 satellites in the orbital position 7 degrees west. (Nilesat 101, Nilesat 102 and Nilesat 201). Nilesat provides broadcasting services in addition to data transmission and turbo internet services. Nearly 60 % of the TV channels are free to air. The others are encrypted. They cover entertainments, thematic, distance learning, business and stock marketing services.

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 30 September 2010, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting more than 3,700 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 661 commercial, technical and operational employees from 28 countries.