Tooway(TM) Consumer Satellite Broadband Service Continues Roll-Out across Europe
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Eutelsat and Skylogic, in Partnership With Viasat, Announce New Distribution Agreements in France, Spain, Bulgaria
AMSTERDAM, September 10 -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) and ViaSat Inc.(Nasdaq:VSAT) announced at the IBC exhibition in Amsterdam the expansion of the distribution network for the Tooway(TM) satellite broadband service that was first presented in Germany at the recent International Consumer Electronics show in Berlin. Distribution agreements have been signed which mark the extension of the service beyond Germany into France, Spain and Bulgaria.
Tooway(TM) is a new-generation high-quality broadband service designed for residential users, with equipment a fraction the cost of existing enterprise-focused satellite services. As a new broadband alternative for homes with low-speed dial-up, Tooway(TM) can at last change the price/performance paradigm for consumer satellite Internet access in rural areas across Europe.
The three new distribution partners for Tooway(TM) all possess solid knowledge of satellite technology and service delivery. In France, Sat2Way, which specialises in fully satellite-based broadband products for professional markets, will market the service to consumers in regions beyond range of high-speed Internet via ADSL and cable networks. In Spain, Overon, which is the market-leading company for satellite transmission and contribution services, will host the Spanish Tooway(TM) hub and distribute the service to ISPs in the region. The new distributor for Bulgaria is Bulsatcom which already provides digital pay-TV services in Bulgaria and has a strong market position in the region in satellite-based video, and Internet services. Tooway(TM) is expected to be provided by each company by the end of 2007.
Sat2Way, Overon and Bulsatcom join Internetagentur Schott and Teles who are the first distribution partners and service providers in Germany, and who are preparing to launch Tooway(TM) by the end of this month.
Commenting on the new distribution partners, Arduino Patacchini, Multimedia Director at Eutelsat and Chairman of Skylogic said:
"Following on from our first announcement of service providers for Germany, we are delighted that Tooway(TM) will also soon be available in France, Spain and Bulgaria. As a ground-breaking and affordable solution for broadband access for the many homes beyond range of terrestrial broadband networks, we believe Tooway(TM) can make a powerful contribution to resolving Europe's digital divide".
Tooway(TM) will be offered via Ka-band capacity on Eutelsat's HOT BIRD(TM) 6 satellite at 13 degrees East and will also be available via Ku-band capacity on the EUROBIRD(TM) 3 satellite. Three different service grades will be provided in Ka-band and Ku-band, with the initial offer delivering maximum downlink speeds of up to 2048 kbps and maximum uplink speeds of up to 384 kbps. Consumer tariffs and hardware prices will be defined by each service provider partnering in the distribution of the service.
Tooway(TM) will be initiated for Internet access, with broadcast TV reception also possible from Eutelsat's HOT BIRD(TM) neighbourhood with additional equipment. An extension to a real satellite triple play service with IPTV and VoIP will be able to be proposed by distributors. In 2010, Eutelsat expects to extend its Tooway(TM) service offering in partnership with ViaSat by deploying a new, high-capacity dedicated Ka-band satellite to 13 degrees East with multiple spotbeams across Europe. It is anticipated that the new satellite will enable much higher speed services. Its location at Eutelsat's prime video neighbourhood also means that consumers will be able to receive triple play services and digital TV reception with a single dish, consolidating the HOT BIRD(TM) position as one of the most important and powerful neighbourhoods in the global satellite sector.
For more information visit www.tooway.net
About Eutelsat Communications
Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 24 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 2007, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting over 2,600 television channels and 1,100 radio stations. More than 1,000 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 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 529 commercial, technical and operational experts from 27 countries.
http://www.eutelsat.com
About Skylogic
Based in Turin, north-west Italy, Skylogic operates one of the world's leading satellite broadband IP platforms. Its operational centre, SkyPark, is equipped to offer a complete range of broadband services including content distribution, IP videostreaming, business TV, maritime applications, teleconferencing, remote control of installations, telemedicine
