NETSYSTEM SIGNS ADDITIONAL TRANSPONDER ON ASTRA 19.2° EAST

Italy's leading Internet via Satellite provider to expand service
following the contract with Telecom Italia

SES ASTRA, an SES GLOBAL company (Luxembourg and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges: SESG), and Netsystem, Italy's leading Internet via Satellite provider, are pleased to announce that Netsystem has entered into a new long-term agreement for the use of a second transponder on the ASTRA satellite system at 19.2° East. This follows a separate agreement between Netsystem and Telecom Italia to offer residential satellite Internet services in Italy under the Telecom Italia brandname "AliceSat".

According to the latest ASTRA Satellite Monitor, some 1.4 million households in Italy already receive services from ASTRA. At the same time, the overall Italian Internet audience grew by 47% to reach 9 million households. This represents an Internet growth rate double that of the European average.

Comments Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA: "The ubiquity of Satellite Internet provides for an increasingly attractive consumer proposal in areas not covered by terrestrial high speed networks. Given Italy's proven interest for Internet services and a growing demand for broadband access, SES ASTRA is convinced that Netsystem, through Telecom Italia's "AliceSat", will help bridge the digital divide by providing satellite Internet services across the country."

"I am proud that we have opened a new market for innovative satellite applications in Italy as well as across Europe," outlines Arturo Artom, Chairman and CEO of Netsystem. Artom adds that: "ADSL via satellite is a low-cost, customer friendly technology. In Europe SES ASTRA already has a customer base of 92 million households. At the same time, there are 238 million telephone lines in Europe, of which 100 million, or 41%, will never be upgraded to ADSL: to fill this gap is our challenge".

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About SES ASTRA:

The ASTRA Satellite System is Europe's leading Direct-to-Home satellite system, delivering television, radio as well as multimedia and Internet services to more than 92 million Direct-to-Home and cable households. The ASTRA satellite fleet currently comprises 13 satellites, transmitting some 1090 analogue and digital television and radio channels as well as multimedia and Internet services. ASTRA's two prime orbital positions for DTH (Direct-To-Home) services are 19.2° East and 28.2° East. Professional services are offered from the orbital positions of 23.5°/24.2° East and 5.2° East.

SES ASTRA is an SES GLOBAL company, whose securities are listed on the Stock Exchanges in Luxembourg and Frankfurt (SESG). SES GLOBAL wholly owns two market leading satellite operators, SES ASTRA in Europe, and SES AMERICOM in the US. The Company also holds strategic participations in first-class regional satellite service providers, the SES GLOBAL partner companies, including stet of in Asia, Star One and Nahuelsat in Latin America, and NSAB in Europe. Through these, SES GLOBAL can provide outstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 41 satellites across the globe. Approximately 95 percent of the world's population live within the footprints of the SES GLOBAL satellite network. In addition, SES GLOBAL is a shareholder in satellite technology companies Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., ND Satcom and SATLYNX. Additional info at: www.ses-global.com

About Netsystem

Netsystem is Italy's leading Internet via Satellite provider. Founded in 2000 by Arturo Artom, Netsystem successfully introduced ADSL via satellite into the Italian market, a simple and user-friendly technology that allows customers to enjoy high speed Internet even in those areas non-reached by the terrestrial connections. Netsystem's industrial and strategic partner is SES ASTRA, Europe's leading Direct-to Home satellite service provider. Having gained tens of thousands of retail customers all over Italy and across Europe in a few months, Netsystem launched in mid-2002 its wholesale offer, which consists in a turn-key solution that allows the local Telco operator to reach all the customers in its market area: in December 2002, Telecom Italia, the former Italian monopolist, announced a wholesale contract with Netsystem, that allows Telecom to override the digital divide in Italy by covering 100% of the country. In May 2003, following the Netsystem contract, Telecom Italia launched its new "Alice SAT" offer. Additional info at www.netsystem.com