Eutelsat and SpeedCast Further Expand Coverage of Their Maritime Broadband

MONACO , September 22, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EutelsatCommunications (Euronext Paris: ETL), one of the world's leading satelliteoperators, and SpeedCast Limited, a leading satellite telecommunicationsservice provider, today announced that they have further expanded the reachof their regional maritime broadband service, with the extension of their 60cm coverage to include the Mediterranean region.

The 60 cm service is part of Eutelsat

The 60 cm service is part of Eutelsat and SpeedCast's overall globalmaritime broadband network, which is one of the most widely deployed VSATofferings in the world. In addition to the 60 cm Ku-band systems, the globalnetwork includes 1 m Ku-band and 2.4 m C-band systems. The smaller formfactor 60 cm marine antenna is ideally suited for small-to-mid-sized vesselssuch as yachts, fishing, and coast guard vessels, which operate alongcoastlines and regional waters. The smaller size and lighter weight of the 60cm marine antenna better meets the needs of these vessels and allows for alower investment.

Customers can also leverage SpeedCast and Eutelsat's advanced monitoringand asset tracking solution, named "SMART" (SpeedCast's Monitoring AndReporting Tools). This value-added-service allows vessel tracking, networkmanagement, service level performance monitoring and more. SMART can beaccessed securely from any location via a Web-based network managementportal, for greater visibility and control of customers' fleet and business.

Finally, customers can benefit from a broad range of additional servicesfor their critical communication needs. SpeedCast and Eutelsat offer a wealthof value added services designed for maritime customers, and optimized forsatellite-based communications. These services include SpeedTalk, anoptimized VOIP service, SpeedCam, a secure remote video surveillance service,and SpeedStar, a WAN optimization service.

"Addressing the high market demand from ship-owners for extended coveragein the Mediterranean for the 60 cm service, was a further important step forEutelsat and SpeedCast. This demand demonstrates how VSAT services are nowfully integrated as a core solution in the regional maritime broadbandmarket."