| MUMBAI:
Global satellite operator Eutelsat has announced that Astrium will build the Hot
Bird 10 broadcast satellite which will be launched in first quarter of 2009 and
positioned at the Group's 13 degrees East location. Following Hot Bird 8 and
9, it is the third high-power broadcast satellite based on Astrium's Eurostar
E3000 platform that will be located at Eutelsat's premium video neighbourhood
for cable and satellite broadcasting. The procurement of Hot Bird 10 underpins
Eutelsat's objectives to continue to renew capacity at its Hot Bird neighbourhood,
to raise
in-orbit redundancy and security for broadcasting clients and to
increase overall flexibility across its satellite fleet. Eutelsat's 13
degrees East neighbourhood broadcasts 950 television channels and 540 radio stations
to 110 million cable and satellite homes across Europe, North Africa and the Middle
East. Astrium's Eurostar E3000
platform was selected by Eutelsat for the Hot Bird 8 satellite, which went into
full commercial service this month, and Hot Bird 9 which was ordered from Astrium
in May this year. With each satellite equipped with 64 high-power Ku-band transponders
spanning the entire range of 102 Ku-band frequencies at 13 degrees East, they
will together deliver customers security and in-orbit redundancy for the development
of digital entertainment services and HDTV channels.
Hot Bird 10's
deployment in 2009 will also enable Eutelsat to pursue its objective to develop
video activities at other orbital locations. The new satellite will release the
group's Hot Bird 7A
satellite from 13 degrees East in order for it to be repositioned
at the 10 degrees East neighbourhood. The proximity of these two neighbourhoods
enables reception of channels from both positions with a single antenna equipped
with a dual feed. This new video mission will be initiated first by Eurobird
10 (formerly Hot Bird 3) which is scheduled to enter into service at 10 degrees
East later this month, having completed its mission at 13 degrees East. Eurobird
10's replacement by Hot Bird 7A will further increase capacity for video services
in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa by providing up to 38 Ku-band transponders
at 10 degrees East.
Eutelsat CEO Giuliano Berretta says, "By boosting
our resource at established and growing video neighbourhoods we are in a privileged
position to benefit from the strong dynamic of broadcasting markets in Europe,
Africa and the Middle East. Hot Bird 10 will further consolidate our premium Hot
Bird position and will also expand the associated resource we can offer broadcasters
from 10 degrees East for standard digital television, High-Definition Television
and new video services using MPEG4 compression. " We are also very
pleased to renew our confidence with Astrium who has demonstrated the performance
of its technology in our new Hot Bird 8 satellite."
Astrium Satellites'
business unit CEO Antoine Bouvier said, "We are extremely pleased that Eutelsat
confirms their confidence in our technology by ordering a third Eurostar E3000
to perfect the core of their prime broadcasting neighbourhood. Hot Bird 10 is
a Eurostar E3000 satellite, identical to Hot Bird 8 and Hot Bird 9 with the same
mission capacity. Hot Bird 10 is also the third satellite ordered by Eutelsat
from Astrium this year, following W2M in February and Hot Bird 9 in May, and the
seventh communications satellite contract overall won by Astrium in 2006."
Hot Bird 10 is the 15th satellite commissioned by Eutelsat from Astrium.
With the early implementation of this programme the group is advancing in-orbit
investments to 2007- 2009 which were originally forecast after 2010. | 
