Eutelsat Orders KONNECT VHTS, a New-Generation Satellite to Deliver High-Speed Broadband Across Europe
05 April 2018 - 08:30PM
Business Wire
- Contract inked for construction of a
VHTS satellite1 with Thales Alenia Space, a long-standing
partner in the space industry
- Orange and Thales secured as anchor
distribution partners for very high throughput and government
connectivity services
- A major step forward in the Group's
growth strategy to deliver high-speed broadband via
satellite
Regulatory News:
Eutelsat Communications (Paris:ETL) (Euronext Paris: ETL)
announced today the order of a next-generation VHTS satellite
system named KONNECT VHTS, to support the development of its
European fixed broadband and in-flight connectivity businesses. The
satellite, which is due to enter into service in 2021, will be
built by Thales Alenia Space which will develop a satellite and
ground segment solution that is the most competitive on the market
today. With a weight of 6.3 ton and a Ka-band capacity of 500 Gbps,
KONNECT VHTS will embark the most powerful on-board digital
processor ever put in orbit, offering capacity allocation
flexibility, optimal spectrum use, and progressive ground network
deployment.
The project will be launched with firm multi-year distribution
commitments from Orange and Thales, two key European players and
leaders in their businesses. A retail partnership was signed with
Orange to address the fixed broadband market in European countries
where the Group has a retail presence, and a distribution
partnership was inked with Thales to serve the government
connectivity services market.
Commenting on the contract, Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of Eutelsat,
said: “We are delighted to sign this agreement with global
partners, Orange and Thales, which confirms the place of
satellite-based solutions in the drive for enhanced high-speed
internet coverage. As a core complement to terrestrial broadband
networks, high-speed broadband will be a critical driver of
Eutelsat’s growth from 2020 onwards. Over the next decade, VHTS
satellites will bring enough capacity to serve high speed internet
and in-flight connectivity markets at scale, offering fiber-like
services both in terms of price and speed.”
The investment in KONNECT VHTS replaces the project of a joint
investment with ViaSat in a ViaSat 3 satellite for Europe,
Africa and the Middle East, and is covered by Eutelsat’s capex
objective of an average of 420 million euros per annum.
Stéphane Richard, Chairman and CEO of Orange, added: “Satellite
is one of the technologies that contribute to building tomorrow's
inclusive digital society, especially for delivering broadband
connectivity in rural areas where it is sometimes challenging to
set up traditional broadband networks. With this agreement, we will
enhance our portfolio of very high speed internet solutions
delivered by satellite, offering all our customers across Europe
digital services of premium quality.”
Patrice Caine, Chairman and CEO of Thales, declared: “With this
partnership, Thales is supporting France and Europe in their
ambitious drive to ensure universal access to high speed broadband
across their territories. We are extremely proud to provide to our
long-standing partner, Eutelsat, a state-of-the-art satellite
designed to serve fixed and mobile connectivity markets as well as
supporting our government customers for coverage of connectivity
solutions across Europe. Built on our all-electric Spacebus NEO
platform, the KONNECT VHTS satellite will be equipped with a
flexible and digital VHTS payload embarking the latest innovations
bolstered by the significant increase in our R&D investments
and the ongoing government support from the CNES, the European
Space Agency and the French investment programme “Programme
d’Investissements d’Avenir”.
About Eutelsat Communications
Founded in 1977, Eutelsat Communications is one of the world's
leading satellite operators. With a global fleet of satellites and
associated ground infrastructure, Eutelsat enables clients across
Video, Data, Government, Fixed and Mobile Broadband markets to
communicate effectively to their customers, irrespective of their
location. Over 6,800 television channels operated by leading media
groups are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped
for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks.
Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the
globe, Eutelsat assembles 1,000 men and women from 44 countries who
are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service.
For more about Eutelsat go to www.eutelsat.com
About Orange
Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications
operators with sales of 41 billion euros in 2017 and 152,000
employees worldwide at 31 December 2017, including 93,000 employees
in France. Present in 29 countries, the Group has a total customer
base of 273 million customers worldwide at 31 December 2017,
including 211 million mobile customers and 20 million fixed
broadband customers. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT
and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under
the brand Orange Business Services. In March 2015, the Group
presented its new strategic plan “Essentials2020” which places
customer experience at the heart of its strategy with the aim of
allowing them to benefit fully from the digital universe and the
power of its new generation networks.
Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New
York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).For more information on the
internet and on your mobile: www.orange.com,
www.orange-business.com or to follow us on Twitter:
@orangegrouppr.Orange and any other Orange product or service names
included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand
Services Limited.
About Thales
The people we all rely on to make the world go round – they rely
on Thales. Our customers come to us with big ambitions: to
make life better, to keep us safer.Combining a unique diversity of
expertise, talents and cultures, our architects design and deliver
extraordinary high technology solutions. Solutions that make
tomorrow possible, today. From the bottom of the oceans to the
depth of space and cyberspace, we help our customers think smarter
and act faster - mastering ever greater complexity and every
decisive moment along the way.With 65,000 employees in 56
countries, Thales reported sales of €15.8 billion in 2017.
1 VHTS for Very High Throughput Satellite
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PressMarie-Sophie EcuerTel: + 33 1 53 98 37
91mecuer@eutelsat.comorInvestors and analystsJoanna
DarlingtonTel: +33 1 53 98 35 30jdarlington@eutelsat.comCédric
PugniTel: +33 1 53 98 35 30cpugni@eutelsat.comorPress
contacts:Tom Wrighttom.wright@orange.com01 44 44 93
93orThales, Media RelationsCédric Leurquin+33 (0)1 57 77 90
93cedric.leurquin@thalesgroup.comorThales Alenia Space Media
RelationsSandrine Bielecki+33(0)4 92 92 70 94sandrine.bielecki@thalesaleniaspace.com
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