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Satellite broadcast community gears up to deliver the highest quality of satellite transmissions for the London 2012 Olympic Games Eutelsat Communications

Final preparations underway for implementation of Carrier ID to assure quality of satellite TV services

Luxembourg, Paris, 17 July 2012
Significant strides forward have been made since the announcement at IBC in September 2011 of the introduction of Carrier ID in advance of the London 2012 Olympic Games in order to assure quality DVB satellite transmissions of the world’s most-watched sporting event, expected to generate over 2,000 hours of satellite coverage.

Carrier ID is a stamp on uplink signals that will enable satellite operators to more efficiently identify transmissions to their satellites and thereby accelerate coordination with earth station operators in the event of signal interference.

Quality assurance of DVB satellite transmissions has engaged the satellite community at large, including satellite operators, encoder and modulator manufacturers, broadcasters and uplink providers. The effort is also supported by three international associations: the World Broadcasting Unions-International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG), the GVF (Global VSAT Forum) and sIRG (satellite Interference Reduction Group).

Satellite operators, led by Eutelsat, Intelsat and SES whose combined orbital assets represent almost 60% of global commercial satellite capacity, have completed the process of adapting their earth station information tables to include Carrier ID information so they can read, extract and interpret data.

Modulator and encoder manufacturers, accounting for the vast majority of satellite transmission equipment used by broadcasters and service providers, have developed new models and system upgrades for Carrier ID use. They include Adtec Digital, Comtech EF Data, Ericsson, Fujitsu, IDC, Newtec and Vislink. Leading broadcasters, agencies and service providers have also updated their systems to be Carrier ID ready.

In a joint statement on this collective initiative David Bair, CTO of Eutelsat, Thierry Guillemin, CTO of Intelsat, and Stewart Sanders, SVP, Customer Service Delivery at SES, said: “This is the first phase of a long-term collaborative undertaking to implement Carrier ID in order to further raise the bar of quality to our broadcast customers. It underscores our constant quest to improve technologies and procedures to deliver the highest standards of service.”

Martin Coleman, Executive Director of the satellite Interference Reduction Group, David Hartshorn, Secretary General of the Global VSAT Forum, and Dick Tauber, Chairman of WBU-ISOG and VP Transmission Systems and New Technology at the CNN News Group, said: “The satellite communications and broadcasting industries are to be commended for this breakthrough. Never before have broadcasters, satellite operators, uplinkers, and manufacturers collaborated to implement an initiative with the sole objective of improving the quality of satellite television services for millions of viewers.”

About SES

SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 51 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.

SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements.

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. Further information under: www.ses.com.

Yves Feltes, VP Corporate Media Relations, yves.feltes@ses.com, tel +352 710 725 311

About Intelsat

Intelsat is the leading provider of satellite services worldwide. For over 45 years, Intelsat has been delivering information and entertainment for many of the world’s leading media and network companies, multinational corporations, Internet Service Providers and governmental agencies. Intelsat’s satellite, teleport and fiber infrastructure is unmatched in the industry, setting the standard for transmissions of video, data and voice services. From the globalization of content and the proliferation of HD, to the expansion of cellular networks and broadband access, with Intelsat, advanced communications anywhere in the world are closer, by far.

www.intelsat.com

For media inquiries, please call +1 202 944 7044

About Eutelsat

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A. With capacity commercialised on 28 satellites that provide coverage across Europe, as well as the Middle East, Africa and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world’s three leading satellite operators. As of 31 March 2012 Eutelsat’s satellites were broadcasting more than 4,250 television channels to over 200 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and 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 high speed Internet services through teleports in France and Italy that serve consumers, 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 750 commercial, technical and operational professionals. This culturally diverse staff comprises employees from 30 countries.

www.eutelsat.com