SES UP-GRADES ASTRA SATELLITE SYSTEM FOR 2-WAY COMMUNICATIONS (ASTRA RETURN CHANNEL SYSTEM - ARCS)

Through the procurement of ASTRA 1K, announced today, Société Européenne des Satellites will enhance the ASTRA Return Channel System (ARCS) and extend its geographical coverage from Western and Central Europe towards Eastern Europe and part of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). ARCS will provide a return channel via satellite at the orbital position of 19.2° East, using Ka-band payloads on ASTRA 1H (to be launched before year-end 1998) and on ASTRA 1K (scheduled for launch in the year 2000).

The ASTRA Return Channel System will offer the combination of Ku-band reception, at speeds up to 38 Mbps, with a Ka-band return channel, at speeds up to 150 kbps (on antennae as small as 60 cm). Higher user data rates of up to 2 Mbps and beyond can be achieved through larger 120 cm dishes.

ARCS will strengthen the position of the ASTRA Satellite System as Europe's prime satellite-based broadband infrastructure for the Direct-To-Home (DTH) and Direct-To-Office (DTO) distribution of entertainment and information services. Its capacity and efficiency will be optimized for asymmetric 2-way communications, i.e. for broadcasting and multicasting with return channel capabilities.

It will add a new function - collection, storage and hosting of multimedia content - to SES' traditional broadcasting and multicasting business. ARCS also expands the market sectors that SES targets to include large and small business users and public sector users, who want efficient, high-speed, bandwidth-on-demand for 2-way asymmetric communications.

SES is working actively with industry, market partners, operators, standardisation bodies and regulatory authorities to agree on a system that is based on open and widely accepted existing and emerging technical standards. This will provide the opportunity for a licensing scheme similar to GSM. ARCS will use the 29.5 - 30.0 GHz frequency band that has been exclusively allocated worldwide to the Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) on a primary basis by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

The development represents a major step, both from a technical and commercial point of view, in the evolution towards next generation satellite systems. ARCS will provide an infrastructure for many of the bandwidth-on-demand capabilities for planned advanced multimedia satellite systems expected by 1999.

This early market entry strategy will allow SES to lead the way and obtain a strong position in satellite multimedia services in Europe as well as in neighbouring market areas. The ARCS forward compatibility will allow SES to engage in a smooth transition from the hybrid Ku-receive/Ka-transmit functions for broadcasting and asymmetric multicasting to the next generation satellite systems, which will be optimized for high speed point-to-point connectivity.

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