EUROPE ONLINE NETWORKS S.A. CREATES MASS CONSUMER 'INTERNET VIA THE SKY' NETWORK FOR EUROPE VIA ASTRA Additional ASTRA transponder capacity contracted

Europe Online Networks S.A. (EON) and Société Européenne des Satellites S.A. (SES) announced today a further milestone in their business relationship allowing EON to bring citizens across Europe mass-consumer, broadband 'Internet via the Sky' available on televisions and PC's via Direct-to-Home (DTH) or cable reception all within the open DVB-IP Digital Video Broadcast/Internet Protocol standard.

Europe Online Networks S.A. has contracted additional transponder capacity on the ASTRA Satellite System at 19.2° East and 28.2° East to develop its 'Internet via the Sky' network. This increases EON's ASTRA capacity to 4 full transponders at 19.2° East plus bit-rate capacity at 28.2° East to serve the digital UK market.

By contracting additional broadband capacity on ASTRA, the 'Internet via the Sky' network can be enhanced to serve homes right across Europe, from the UK and Portugal in the West to Moscow in the East. There are already 75 million European homes connected to ASTRA either via DTH, SMATV or cable.

Comments Candace Johnson, President of Europe Online Networks S.A.: "'Internet via the Sky' will deliver richer, more varied broadband Internet content to televisions and PC's using plug-in PC cards or Internet-ready digital set top boxes. Full compliance with the open DVB-IP (Digital Video Broadcast/Internet Protocol) standard, will ensure manufacturers and retailers can make attractively priced reception equipment widely available."

The 'Internet via the Sky' Network was introduced in May 1999 and the mass-consumer market launch is scheduled for August 27th, 1999, at the International Television Fair (IFA '99) in Berlin.

Romain Bausch, Director General and Chairman of the Management Committee of SES, states: "EON's commitment to developing its 'Internet via the Sky' network on ASTRA highlights the inherent capabilities of broadband satellite infrastructures for the fast delivery of rich and diverse multimedia content to geographically dispersed mass markets."

In addition to procuring ASTRA satellite capacity for the next ten years, Europe Online Networks S.A. is also building an Internet Network Point of Presence to be installed in Betzdorf to bring Internet traffic to the 'Internet via the Sky' network uplink site. "It is a true marriage of the Sky and the Earth", clarified Ms Johnson, "as we bring the broadband Internet traffic over the broadband, broadcast ASTRA satellite infrastructure and use the existing terrestrial infrastructure for narrow-band Internet traffic such as requests and e-mails."

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