SES To Provide Broadband Connection to African Market

Satellite-based broadband platform ASTRA2Connect to offer internet connection to
East and Central Africa via NSS-12 satellite
LUXEMBOURG--(Business Wire)--
SES S.A. (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG), announced today that it is expanding the
reach of its satellite-based broadband service ASTRA2Connect to Africa through a
signed agreement with Intersat Africa, the leading provider of satellite-based
internet services on the continent. The service, which will start in January
2010, will be offered to households, small and medium enterprises as well as
schools.

With capacity coming from SES WORLD SKIES` NSS-12 satellite, Intersat Africa
will use the proven satellite broadband platform to introduce cost efficient,
interactive satellite-based broadband services to the African market.
ASTRA2Connect will be sold in ten countries in East and Central Africa,
including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic
of Congo. Newtec, a highly experienced manufacturer of state-of-the-art
satellite equipment and a long-term partner for ASTRA2Connect will supply
Intersat Africa with the respective satellite broadband user terminals based on
the award-winning Sat3Play® technology.

ASTRA2Connect offers customers in regions without terrestrial broadband networks
an easy, reliable and cost-efficient solution to access the internet through an
always-on interactive broadband connection for a flat service fee. The customer
premises equipment - a modem and a satellite dish - is low cost and delivered
with a unique Point&Play® tool for easy self-installation. ASTRA2Connect was
first marketed in early 2007 and is already available in 14 countries throughout
Europe. The service is marketed via wholesalers and internet service providers.

"Our agreement with Intersat Africa marks a milestone for the roll-out of
ASTRA2Connect beyond Europe,and we are very proud that we are now able to offer
our service in a dynamic market such as East and Central Africa," said Norbert
Willems, Managing Director at ASTRA Broadband Services S.A.. "Stable and
cost-efficient broadband connections are important for economic growth and
social wealth, and ASTRA2Connect is an ideal solution for all households in
Africa which have so far been excluded from the digital revolution."

"Our strategic partnership with SES ASTRA and SES WORLD SKIES opens new horizons
for delivering internet service to the masses in rural Africa," said Abdul
Bakhrani, CEO of Intersat Africa. "East Africa has recently been connected to
the Information Superhighway on submarine fibre, but unfortunately only the
users in urban areas will benefit from this internet revolution. The last mile
connectivity is still a challenge and this is where SES` broadband service and
satellite capacity fit in. The ASTRA2Connect service also complements our Rural
Internet Kiosk (RIK) programme which will empower thousands of Africans with
high speed internet."

"We are very proud to team up with Intersat Africa and SES in order to provide
East and Central Africa with the ASTRA2Connect service," said Serge van Heck,
CEO at Newtec. "End consumers will benefit from Newtec`s high performing
Sat3Play® Broadband Consumer Terminal, offering everyone without terrestrial
internet infrastructure a real broadband experience."

About SES

SES (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) wholly owns the market-leading satellite operators
SES ASTRA and SES WORLD SKIES, 90% of SES SIRIUS in Europe, and strategic
participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico. SES provides
outstanding satellite communications solutions via a global fleet of 40
satellites in 26 orbital locations. For further information: www.ses.com

About Intersat Africa Limitedwww.intersatafrica.com

Intersat is one of the leading providers of satellite based data solutions in
Africa offering Internet via Satellite connectivity to major organisations,
government institutions and the private sector. Intersat strives hard to stay at
the cutting edge of technology, investing heavily in state of-the art services
that make service delivery more efficient and reliable.

Intersat`s wide variety of customized products & services are purposed and
optimized for their discerning customers' needs and are used by national &
multinational corporations, academic institutions, financial institutions,
backbone providers, broadcasters, Internet Service Providers and government
institutions across Africa, Middle East & South East Asia.

Through continuous research and development, Intersat has been able to deliver
turnkey satellite systems & infrastructure that enables its customers break
their communication boundaries. A team of competent & experienced technical
personnel provides support to it`s customers throughout the African continent
from Intersat`s Nairobi office on a 24x7 basis.

About Newtecwww.newtec.eu

Newtec is the European market leader in Satellite Communications, offering
highly reliable products and solutions including DVB-S2 modulators and modems,
Digital TV & Radio Distribution and Exchange networks, IP Broadband Access
Networks as well as software solutions for the optimization of Internet traffic
to customers worldwide.

With its ambitious policy of re-investment in R&D, Newtec is recognized as a
forerunner in several innovative satellite communication technologies, which
have been published as industry standards (DVB, DVB-S2, DVB RCS and iSatTV
Cenelec pr EN50478). Established in 1985, and headquartered in Belgium, the
company has regional offices located in Stamford (US), Singapore (Singapore),
Beijing (China), Dubai (UAE) and São Paulo Brazil). Newtec's subsidiary
TurboConcept in Brest (France) develops Intellectual Property Cores for turbo
and LDPC building blocks. Newtec`s Tellitec®IP software products for Internet
traffic optimization and data communication are engineered in Newtec`s research
and development facilities in Berlin (Germany), Newtec Communications GmbH.

Yves Feltes
SES
+ 352 710 725 311
yves.feltes@ses.com
or
Wilfred Waithaka
Intersat Africa Ltd
+254 20 5000555
waithaka@intersatafica.com
or
Tom de Baere
Newtec
+ 32 3 608 4218
tdb@newtec.eu

Copyright Business Wire 2009