In this chapter we present EUTELSAT S.A., specifying which are its activities and which is its importance in the global satellite market.
2.1 – The role of a Satellite Operator
Nowadays, the requirement of disposing of a communication tool that can reach as many people as possible is the basis for a broadcasting service.
In order to accomplish this mission, various means can be used, but satellite communications seem to be the best way, because of a simple accessibility by end users and low price for operators, compared to other choices.
The broadcast of services is possible thanks to Geostationary Communications Satellites (GCS) owned by Large Operators; usually they provide to their project, manufacture, development and deployment. After launching and positioning to the appropriate orbital location, they manage them, in order to offer the necessary resources to those customers that request their use.
The following table wants to show the top 10 Satellite Operators in the world; we can find only those operators that lease their own capacity on geostationary-orbiting satellites for video, data and voice transmissions. Not included are Mobile Satellite Services or Direct-Broadcast Satellite companies that don’t lease capacity commercially. Inmarsat, Globastar and Iridium are thus absent.
Rank Company Location 2006 Revenue 2005 Revenue Satellites Satellites (USD Million) (USD Million) in Orbit on Order
1 Intelsat Bermuda 2100 2030 51 8
2 SES-Astra Luxembourg 1900 1720 36 9
3 Eutelsat France 1050 885 24 5
4 Telesat Canada 411 407,3 7 2
5 JSAT Corp. Japan 326 373 8 1
6 Star One SA Brazil 195,8 164,5 5 2
7 SingTel Australia 191,8 165,7 4 2
8 Loral Skynet USA 164 152 5 1
9 Hispasat Spain 159,1 117,6 3 1
10 RussianSat Russia 152 143 11 4
(Table 2.1 – Top 10 Satellite Operators – Source: Space News, June 2007)
2.2 – History and Commercial Profile
The European Telecommunication Satellite Organization (Eutelsat) was originally set up in 1977 as an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) in order to provide a satellite network for Western Europe. Its first satellite was launched in 1983.
Since that year it began to transmit TV Channels direct-to-home, and it was the first organization offering this service, marking a real revolution for TV users in Europe; because of its status, Eutelsat satellite-based infrastructure was used mainly by PTTs and Public TV Operators of many European countries, making possible to transmit
live events (as news, sport matches, etc…) in all the Europe at the same time. This service was managed by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), having its headquarters in Geneve, Switzerland.
Eutelsat rapidly developed its networks to offer coverage to other markets, such as Central and Eastern Europe in 1989 and the Middle East, the African continent, large part of Asia and Americas from the 1990s.
But the warhorse of the organization was the HotBird fleet, composed of several satellites located in the same orbital location (13° East) that can offer a large capacity for broadcasting services, attracting hundreds of channels and appealing to widespread audiences for consumer satellite TV.
After the general liberalisation of telecommunications in Europe, in July 2001 all the operation of Eutelsat were transferred to a company called Eutelsat S.A., having its headquarters in Paris. In April 2005, the principal shareholders of Eutelsat grouped their investments into a new entity called “Eutelsat Communications”, which is now the holding company of the group, owning the 97,2% in January 20071.
Recent Eutelsat Company Profile:
Consolidated revenues 829.1 [m!]
Revenue growth (1 yr) 4.8 %
Consolidated net income 170 [m!]
Employees 529
Different nationalities between employees 27
(Table 2.2 – Financial Highlights – Source: Eutelsat S.A.)
2.3 – At the heart of a digital age
Broadcasters, ISPs, telcos and government agencies are today the main customers of Eutelsat. Actually, they often choose it for connecting the edges of their own networks, allowing access up to 90% of the world population. This wide coverage is possible thanks to 23 satellites that handle 2500 TV channels and 1000 radio station in 45 languages.
Because of the services distributed via Eutelsat’s fleet of satellites, everyday millions of people can use latest technologies concerning telecommunications, like Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), high speed Internet Services and High Definition TV (HDTV). This fact has a strong impact in a world in which the opportunity of a direct, fast and reliable connectivity to anybody has become a requirement not only for business but also for daily life.
In addition to Direct-To-Home (DTH) Broadcasting, satellites offer services also to those Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Providers that want to offer to their clients
real-time contents; indeed, for example, a live news program (especially from an inaccessible place) or a football match can reach the end users thanks to the satellite link between transportable antennas and studios.
Extremely important for a Satellite Operator is the coverage offered by its network: nowadays, many Pay-TV companies in western Europe chose Eutelsat like commercial partner, but the later extension of satellite footprints over Eastern Europe and Mediterranean Basin gives new markets the possibility to grew in a short time.
(Image 2.1 – Portfolio of Activities (** Consolidated revenues by business application) – Source: Eutelsat S.A.)
2.4 – Satellite Fleet
Eutelsat commercialises capacity on 24 satellites located in geosynchronous orbit between 15 degrees West and 70,5 degrees East.
19 of them are owned by the company, while the capacity on the rest is rented because it belongs to other companies.
There is the project to launch 5 new satellites between 2008 and 2009, offering new bandwidth to Europe, Africa, Middle East and Russia.
Here we can find a detailed description of all the satellites, referring to their name, orbital location, served region and launch date.
Satellite Location Regions Served Launch
Hot Bird 6 13° East Europe, North Africa, Middle East Aug 2002
Hot Bird 7A 13° East Europe, North Africa, Middle East Mar 2006
Hot Bird 8 13° East Europe, North Africa, Middle East Aug 2006
Eurobird 1 28,5° East Europe Mar 2001
EuroBird 2 25,5° East Europe, North Africa, Middle East Oct 1998
Eurobird 3 33° East Europe Sep 2003
Eurobird 42 4° East Europe, North Africa, Middle East Sep 1997
Eurobird 93 9° East Europe, North Africa, Middle East Nov 1996
W1 10° East Europe, Middle East, Africa Sep 2000
W2 16° East Europe, Middle East, Africa Oct 1998
W3A 7° East Europe, Middle East, Africa Mar 2004
W4 36° East Africa, Russia May 2000
W5 70,5° East Europe, Middle East, Asia, Australia Nov 2000
W6 21,5° East Europe, Middle East, Africa Apr 1999
SESAT 1 36° East Europe, North Africa, Middle East, Asia Apr 2000 Atlantic Bird 1 12,5° West Europe, Middle East, Americas Aug 2002
Atlantic Bird 2 8° West Europe, Middle East, Americas Sep 2001
Atlantic Bird 3 5° West Europe, Americas, Africa Jul 2002
Atlantic Bird 4 7° West Europe, North Africa, Middle East Feb 1998
Telecom 2C4 3° East Europe Dec 1995
Telecom 2D4 8° West Europe Aug 1996
Telstar 124 15° West Europe, Americas Oct 1999
Express A34 11° West Europe, North Africa, Middle East Jun 2000
SESAT 24 53° East Europe, North Africa, Middle East, Asia Dec 2003
Satellite Location Regions Served Launch
W2M 10° East Europe, Africa, Middle East 2008
W2A 16° East Europe, Africa, Middle East 2009
W7 36° East Europe, North Africa, Middle East, Russia 2009 Hot Bird 9 13° East Europe, Africa, Middle East 2008 Hot Bird 10 13° East Europe, Africa, Middle East 2009
(Table 2.4 – Planned Future Satellites – Source: Eutelsat S.A.)234
2
Former Hot Bird® 3
3
Former Hot Bird® 2
4
