Stargroup selects new EUTELSAT 65 West A satellite for StarGo broadband in Latin America

New broadband service to provide platform for growth in Mexico, Colombia and Peru

Mexico City, Washington DC, Paris, 9 March 2016 – Stargroup, the parent company of StarTV, Mexico’s new DTH platform, announces a multi-year agreement with Eutelsat Americas, a subsidiary of Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) for Ka-band capacity on the EUTELSAT 65 West A satellite. Stargroup will use the capacity to power its new StarGo broadband platform.

Launched today by an Ariane rocket at 05.20 UTC, EUTELSAT 65 West A is now on course for the 65° West location in geostationary orbit. The new satellite’s capabilities include a broadband payload with 24 Ka-band spotbeams of which eight, booked by Stargoup, cover large swathes of Latin America.

The new StarGo broadband service will complement Stargroup’s Direct-to-Home offer launched in Mexico in December using capacity on the EUTELSAT 117 West A satellite. Stargroup plans to provide Ka band broadband services in Mexico, Colombia and Peru to complement its Mexican DTH offer and support broadband access for end-users as well as a broad range of corporate sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, farming, fishing, security and health.

Julio Di-Bella, CEO of Stargroup, said: “Eutelsat has been an important ally in our growth and we are very happy to be broadening our offer to accomplish our goal of contributing to the technological development of Mexico and the rest of the Continent. The constitutional reforms in Mexico and the invaluable support of the Federal Telecommunications Institute are promoting competition and we trust that this innovative satellite broadband service will allow us to continue growing and consolidate our position in the telecommunications industry in the Americas.”  
 
Patricio Northland, CEO of Eutelsat Americas, added: “We are delighted once again to win the trust of Stargroup and to extend our relationship beyond TV broadcasting into the fast-growing broadband arena. This milestone reflects our commitment to working hand in hand with our customers to develop solutions aligned with their needs and shows the core strength of satellite in promoting access to video and broadband services.”