Following its successful launch on
May 26, Eutelsat Communications (NYSE
Euronext Paris: ETL) announces that the
EUTELSAT 3B satellite is now fully fired
up and providing commercial services at
3° East.
Eutelsat’s newest satellite is
designed to increase and diversify
capacity and reach of Europe, Africa,
the Middle East, Central Asia and
Brazil. The first commercial satellite
to assemble Ku, C and Ka payloads in a
single platform, it can operate up to 51
transponders through an innovative
configuration that enables customers to
select the frequency band most adapted
to their applications and targeted
service area.
Overnight transfer of customer
traffic onto the new satellite from the
two Eutelsat satellites already at 3°
East (EUTELSAT 3D and EUTELSAT 3A) was
completed in the evening of July 5.
Having completed their missions at 3°
East both satellites will now be
redeployed. EUTELSAT 3D is already on
its way to 7° East where it will be
copositioned with EUTELSAT 7A to
increase capacity and in-orbit security
for customers providing DTH,
professional video, data and telecoms
services in Europe, Turkey, the Middle
East, Africa and Indian Ocean islands.
It is scheduled to go into service at 7°
East in mid-July at which point it will
be renamed EUTELSAT 7B. EUTELSAT 3A,
will be relocated to 8° West until it is
deorbited later in 2014.
Eutelsat Chairman and CEO, Michel de
Rosen said: “With the full entry into
service of EUTELSAT 3B we are further
heightening the efficiency of our fleet
and gearing new capacity towards our
strongest growth markets. Clients
providing services from our 3° East and
7° East orbital positions can now
benefit from new satellites at the top
end of the range in terms of
flexibility, power and reach. Our thanks
go to Airbus Defence and Space for
building EUTELSAT 3B and working closely
with us during the satellite’s first
manoeuvres, and to Sea launch for a
flawless launch.”
