Distribution Network Of Eutelsat's Tooway Broadband Service Gathers Speed With Teldafax In Germany

3 June 2008

Eutelsat Communications TelDaFax Communications GmbH announced an agreement for the immediate distribution of the Tooway™ satellite broadband service in Germany. Skylogic, Eutelsat's broadband affiliate, will be directly responsible for the distribution contract with TelDafax.

Eutelsat's ground-breaking 2Mbps broadband service is a true high-speed satellite alternative for consumers looking for broadband access in areas with poor or no ADSL infrastructure. TelDaFax Communications GmbH is a subsidiary of the TelDaFax Group that provides consumers throughout Germany with competitive one-stop shopping telecommunications, electricity, finance and insurance services.

TelDaFax Communications is expanding its existing portfolio of broadband solutions with the Tooway™ satellite broadband service, which it will immediately market under the German brand name "all DSL" via its multiple distribution channels across Germany. The consumer premises equipment for the service comprises a satellite dish and modem. TelDaFax is also working on VoIP as an add-on to the broadband service.

The Tooway™ service will be provided to TelDaFax Communications via Ku-band capacity on Eutelsat's EUROBIRD™ 3 satellite which offers full coverage of Germany via a high-power regional beam. The Ku-band hub is operated by Skylogic, from its state-of-the-art SkyPark teleport in Turin, Italy.

"There are more than 1,000 ADSL-free areas nationwide in Germany," said Rolf Diederichs, Managing Director of TelDaFax Communications. "We have very carefully watched and tested all existing satellite two-way solutions and other technical alternatives and selected a powerful and affordable solution for our ADSL customers living in those areas. The high-performance and scalability of Tooway™, its infrastructure and the future options with the upcoming launch of Eutelsat's powerful KA-SAT satellite convinced us to cooperate with Europe's market-leader in satellite broadband for bridging the digital divide in Germany where satellite is the only route to broadband for more than one million homes. Thanks to Tooway™ we are now in a position to offer a valid alternative to ADSL services throughout the country."

"We are delighted to further extend distribution of Tooway™ in Germany with TelDaFax, whose extensive nationwide marketing network and experience will enable our satellite broadband service to accelerate its reach into homes across Germany. In advance of the launch in 2010 of our KA-SAT satellite, Eutelsat's existing satellite capacity and ViaSat's high-performance broadband technology are enabling us to make a real impact in the market for high-quality and affordable consumer satellite broadband services. Following on from significant distribution agreements, including Swisscom in Switzerland, this new contract shows that Tooway™ is a first choice for partners for whom quality of service is a key expectation," said Arduino Patacchini, CEO of Skylogic and Multimedia Director of Eutelsat.

Tooway™ is a new-generation high-quality and affordable broadband service designed for residential users, with equipment a fraction the cost of existing enterprise-focused satellite services. As a new broadband alternative for homes with low-speed dial-up, Tooway™ can at last change the price/performance paradigm for consumer satellite Internet access in rural areas across Europe.

The service is based on ViaSat's SurfBeam DOCSIS® two-way broadband satellite system. Unlike other consumer satellite Internet services, this system requires no connection via cable or phone lines. SurfBeam is well established in North America with more than 400,000 users since its launch three years ago.

The Tooway™ distribution agreement with TelDaFax joins those already concluded in key European markets in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria and Switzerland.