Press release -
Telstra and Eutelsat OneWeb launch largest deployment of LEO backhaul in Australia
Paris, 12 February 2024 – Eutelsat Group (ISIN: FR0010221234 - Euronext Paris / London Stock Exchange: ETL), and Telstra announce the launch of the largest rollout of Eutelsat OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) backhaul in Australia.
The launch follows the signing of a strategic multi-year agreement last year that will enable LEO capacity delivered to Telstra’s most remote mobile customers across Australia to enhance their experience when using real-time applications such as voice and video calling.
It follows a successful voice call on-air using Eutelsat OneWeb’s LEO solution, the first time a satellite backhaul call has been conducted on a commercial mobile network with a guaranteed quality level of services in Australia.
More than 300 remote mobile base station sites currently using satellite backhaul will be connected to Eutelsat OneWeb’s LEO solution over the next 18 months. The capability will allow Telstra to expand mobile coverage as it supports new site deployments.
Cyril Dujardin, Co-General Manager of Eutelsat Group’s Connectivity Business Unit said: “We are delighted to support Telstra in delivering consistent, leading-edge connectivity to its customers in Australia, regardless of location. We are honoured to count Telstra among our most trusted partners, with whom we will continue to collaborate to test and deploy current and future technology.”
Iskra Nikolova, Telstra Executive for Network and Technology added: “Eutelsat OneWeb’s LEO solution will help us improve the customer experience in regional and remote areas with lower latency, higher speeds, and a more consistent experience. There’s also potential for OneWeb, as a backup backhaul solution, to improve reliability in areas where terrestrial backhaul is susceptible to natural disasters, and where communities find themselves in isolation to have a LEO backhaul that guarantees that level of quality service.”
Australia is one of several markets now fully operational, as Eutelsat OneWeb completes the roll-out of its ground segment to enable true global coverage.
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About Eutelsat Group
Eutelsat Group is a global leader in satellite communications, delivering connectivity and broadcast services worldwide. The Group was formed through the combination of the Company and OneWeb in 2023, becoming the first fully integrated GEO-LEO satellite operator with a fleet of 35 Geostationary satellites and a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 600 satellites. The Group addresses the needs of customers in four key verticals of Video, where it distributes more than 6,500 television channels, and the high-growth connectivity markets of Mobile Connectivity, Fixed Connectivity, and Government Services. Eutelsat Group’s unique suite of in-orbit assets enables it to deliver integrated solutions to meet the needs of global customers. The Company is headquartered in Paris and the Eutelsat Group employs more than 1,700 people across more than 50 countries. The Group is committed to delivering safe, resilient, and environmentally sustainable connectivity to help bridge the digital divide. The Company is listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL) and the London Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL)
Find out more at www.eutelsat.com
Media enquiries
Joanna Darlington
Tel. +33 674 521 531
jdarlington@eutelsat.com
Anita Baltagi
Tel. +33 643 930 178
abaltagi@eutelsat.com
Katie Dowd
Tel. +1 202 271 2209
kdowd@oneweb.net
Investors
Joanna Darlington
Tel. +33 674 521 531
jdarlington@eutelsat.com
Hugo Laurens Berge
Tel. +33 670 80 95 58
hlaurensberge@eutelsat.com
Telstra media contact:
Steve Carey, General Manager Media
Mobile: +61 413 988 640
DISCLAIMER
The forward-looking statements included herein are for illustrative purposes only and are based on management’s views and assumptions as of the date of this document. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks. For illustrative purposes only, such risks include but are not limited to: risks related to the health crisis; operational risks related to satellite failures or impaired satellite performance, or failure to roll out the deployment plan as planned and within the expected timeframe; risks related to the trend in the satellite telecommunications market resulting from increased competition or technological changes affecting the market; risks related to the international dimension of the Group's customers and activities; risks related to the adoption of international rules on frequency coordination and financial risks related, inter alia, to the financial guarantee granted to the Intergovernmental Organization's closed pension fund, and foreign exchange risk. Eutelsat Communications expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any projections, forecasts or estimates contained in this document to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. The information contained in this document is not based on historical fact and should not be construed as a guarantee that the facts or data mentioned will occur. This information is based on data, assumptions and estimates that the Group considers as reasonable.
