SES CONTRACTS 6 TRANSPONDERS ON EUTELSAT'S EUROBIRD FROM P&T LUXEMBOURG Additional capacity boost for SES' second ASTRA position

Société Européenne des Satellites (SES), the operator of the ASTRA Satellite System, and Luxembourg's national telecom operator P&TLuxembourg, today have signed an agreement enabling SES to use six 72 MHz transponders on Eutelsat's "Eurobird" satellite to be positioned at 28.5° East. The agreement provides additional transmission capacity to SES to be used by its customers in conjunction with SES' second orbital position at 28.2° East.

The transponder capacity was attributed to P&TLuxembourg, the Grand-Duchy's signatory to and founding member of Eutelsat. P&TLuxembourg will make this capacity available on Eurobird to SES.

For the lifetime of the upcoming Eurobird satellite, expected to be at least 12 years, the agreement covers six 72 MHz transponders in the 11.20 - 11.45 GHz downlink band. Eurobird, due to become operational in February 2001, will be positioned at 28.5° East, in the immediate vicinity of SES' satellites co-located at 28.2°East. The use of adjacent frequency bands on Eurobird will provide for reception on dishes pointed at 28.2° East.

The additional transmission capacity will be made available to SES customers for digital direct-to-home services in particular in the UK and Ireland. The transponders can also be used for single or multiple channel per carrier services (SCPC - MCPC) for data, audio, and video or as an Asia-Europe turnaround for up-linking signals transmitted by AsiaSat.

SES' development plans for 28.2° East continue to be based on three additional satellites (ASTRA 2B, ASTRA 2C and ASTRA 2D) which will be co-positioned with the existing ASTRA 2A at SES' second orbital location over the coming 18 months. This coherent deployment strategy, combined with the current availability of ASTRA 1D at 28.2° East, is enabling SES to meet the growing high-bandwidth requirements for new digital services at this orbital location.

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About P&TLuxembourg

P&TLuxembourg, a public service company since 1992, operates postal, financial and telecommunications services. Today P&TLuxembourg has 2,700 employees. In the telecommunications area, P&TLuxembourg runs both fixed and mobile networks. In a leading position, P&TLuxembourg provides a full range of voice, data and Internet services including satellite uplinks. With its lean and easily manageable size, P&TLuxembourg serves private customers as well as business clients including international banks, insurance companies and European institutions.

Additional information about P&Tluxembourg can be found at: www.ept.lu

About SES/ASTRA

Société Européenne des Satellites S.A. (SES) is the operator of ASTRA, Europe's leading direct-to-home Satellite System. Via nine active satellites at the orbital positions of 19.2° East and 28.2° East, ASTRA transmits in analogue and digital more than 930 different television and radio channels as well as multimedia and Internet services to an audience of close to 78 million homes in Europe. Four additional satellites are under construction and due for launch before end 2001. SES is also a major shareholder in ASIASAT (34.13% since January 15th, 1999).

SES securities are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (symbol: SES) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (symbol: SDSL).

Additional information about ASTRA can be found at: www.ses-astra.com