New 12-Year Contract Inked Between Eutelsat and Mediaset to Expand Digital Television in Italy

New 12-Year Contract Inked Between Eutelsat and Mediaset to Expand Digital Television in Italy

PARIS, February 15, 2011/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --     Elettronica Industriale, the network operator of Italy's
Mediaset Group, and Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today
announced the signature of a 12-year contract for capacity at the HOT
BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood.

    The new contract for one transponder further consolidates a
20-year relationship between the two companies, increasing Mediaset's HOT
BIRD(TM) resources to five transponders. It will support Italy's nationwide
transition into a fully digital broadcasting environment, particularly
addressing Mediaset's requirement to deliver channels to its network of
Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) transmitters.

    Andrew Wallace, Eutelsat's Chief Commercial Officer commented:
"This new contract with Elettronica Industriale for Mediaset underscores just
how much satellites are integrated by broadcasting groups as a key platform
for effective content delivery. We are delighted to further extend our
longstanding partnership with Elettronica Industriale, and that the
performance and coverage of our HOT BIRD(TM) satellites continues to meet
Italy's national agenda to operate in a digital television landscape."

    Antonio Preti, Head of TV Transmission Services at Elettronica
Industriale added: "With resources secured at the HOT BIRD(TM) position and
on ATLANTIC BIRD(TM) 3 to deliver Digital Terrestrial Television multiplexes
to our rebroadcast towers and for live coverage of news, sports and
entertainment events, Eutelsat's satellites are a core component of our
network infrastructure, supporting our activities today and into the future."

    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 September 2010, Eutelsat's
satellites were broadcasting more than 3,700 television channels to a
measured audience of 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 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 660 commercial, technical and operational experts from 28 countries.

    http://www.eutelsat.com

Source: Eutelsat Communications

For further information from Eutelsat Press: Vanessa O'Connor, Tel: +33-1-53-98-37-91, voconnor@eutelsat.fr; Frederique Gautier, Tel: +33-1-53-98-37-91, fgautier@eutelsat.fr,  Investors & Analysts; Lisa Sanders Finas, Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-30, investors@eutelsat-communications.com