SES selected by TRT Turk to reach audiences in sub-Saharan Africa

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:24:57 GMT

SES (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) has announced it has been selected by Turkish public broadcaster, Türkiye Radyo ve Televizyon Kurumu (TRT), to reach audiences in sub-Saharan Africa.

TRT will use capacity on SES-5 located at 5 degrees east to broadcast its free-to-air digital channel TRT Turk and its radio channel Turkiyenin Sesi Radyosu (TRS) to the region using the satellite's unique Ka-band uplink capabilities, allowing for flexible operations between Europe and Africa.

With a line-up of almost 500 TV channels and access to nearly 25 million homes across Europe and Africa, SES' 5 degrees East orbital position provides growth opportunities for broadcasters and offers a wider choice of TV programmes for viewers. SES-5 was launched in July 2012 and complements SES' successful ASTRA 4A satellite at this orbital position providing additional and extended coverage over South Africa, North Africa, Europe and the Atlantic Ocean.

Norbert Hölzle, Senior Vice President Commercial Europe of SES, said: "We are happy to extend our partnership with TRT Turk and look forward to broadcasting the Turkish channel to new audiences in sub-Saharan Africa where demand for digital TV content is constantly growing. Satellite is the most ideal form of infrastructure to broadcast TV content to a wide audience across large geographical regions."

Ibrahim Sahin, General Manager of TRT, said: "We rely on SES' expertise and global satellite fleet to reach important audiences and markets outside of Turkey. We already rely on SES' prime orbital position 19.2 degrees East to reach our audiences in Western Europe. The use of SES-5 will give us immediate access to sub-Saharan Africa and provide our target audience with premium news, culture and entertainment programs made in Turkey."

TRT Turk and TSR can be received via 5 degrees East at 12034 H DVB-S 27500 FEC 3/4.

About SES:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 52 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite services to broadcasters - including HDTV and hybrid TV - content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. Further information, including details on the SES Satellite Fleet & Coverage iPad App, can be found at www.ses.com.

SES to provide satellite broadband services for parliamentary elections in Burkina Faso

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:41:59 GMT

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) has announced its 100% owned affiliate SES Broadband Services will provide satellite broadband services for the parliamentary elections in Burkina Faso.

As part of the agreement with the Independent National Elections Committee (CENI) in Burkina Faso, SES Satellite Broadband Services and its partners Newtec, Access Sat and Unicom will provide satellite equipment and bandwidth to enable connectivity between the 45 electoral district offices, which serve as the hubs for 14,698 polling stations across the country, and the central election office in the capital, Ouagadougou. The system will be used for video conferencing, surveillance, Internet access and fast and secure communication of ballots.

SES Broadband Services will use satellite capacity on an SES satellite located at 5 degrees east and hardware and hub-infrastructure provided by Newtec. Installations of the VSAT terminals are carried out by Access Sat and the video and the LAN network equipment is supplied by Unicom.

"Satellite technology ensures connectivity for the remote sites in Burkina Faso and has the advantage of quick deployment and immediate coverage and availability. The deployed infrastructure can also be available after the electoral process to provide Internet access to schools, public offices and remote villages," said Patrick Biewer, Managing Director, SES Broadband Services.

"The selected SES technology will facilitate a transparent electoral process, providing rapid and highly reliable data transfers. A series of innovations will also be introduced, including the use of biometrics for the voter registration. The selected satellite VSAT platform gives the advantage of quick deployment for fast transmission of electoral data from remote locations," said Mr Barthelemy Kéré, President of the CENI.

Advantages of satellite technology include rapid, secure data collection, aggregation, transfer and verification; a stable, sustainable communication system between all the sites resulting in the improved security of the electoral process, plus the legacy of a top-tier communication system which can be re-used or redeployed.

About SES:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 52 geostationary satellites. The company provides TV satellites to broadcasters, satellite services to content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide, including hybrid TV.

SES and Astrium Services extend VSAT coverage and service for global maritime customers

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 11:14:59 GMT

SES (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) and Astrium Services have announced they have signed capacity deals to deliver connectivity to vessels around Latin America as well as in the North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Astrium Services will renew capacity on the SES-4 satellite to provide its customers with managed services for maritime business communications, tracking equipment and engine performance as well as ensuring crew at sea to stay connected. Located at 338 degrees East, SES-4 is among several SES satellites providing capacity to Astrium Services enabling the company to customise services to satisfy specific needs of the maritime industry.

"The comprehensive coverage of the new SES-4 satellite extending from the Arabian Sea to the South Pacific Ocean is ideal for our customers in this region. Combined with SES' satellite expertise and our dedicated sales and service team, this coverage is key in developing reliable VSAT services for our global customers in these strategic maritime routes," said Tore Morten Olsen, Head of Maritime within the Business Communications division of Astrium Services.

Under the new agreement, Astrium Services is able to meet several specific communication needs, including reliable VSAT coverage for oil and gas activities offshore of Brazil and East Africa.

Additionally, the wider footprint of SES-4 extends coverage over the Gulf of Aden to support vital connectivity to customers in piracy risk zones for instance off the coast of Somalia. The coverage also support fisheries, transportation and recreational maritime customers in Europe.

"On-the-move global communications needs of the maritime industry have to be met constantly even when vessels and crews are at remote regions of the world. The series of new contracts with Astrium Services reinforces our long-standing partnership and is a testament to our leading position in delivering mobility satellite services," said Norbert Hölzle, Senior Vice President of Europe, Commercial for SES.

About Astrium:
Astrium is the number one company in Europe for space technologies and the third in the world. In 2011, Astrium had a turnover close to €5 billion and 18,000 employees worldwide, mainly in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.

Astrium is the sole European company that covers the whole range of civil and defence space systems and services. Its three business units are: Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure; Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment; Astrium Services for comprehensive fixed and mobile end-to-end solutions covering secure and commercial satcoms and networks, high security and broadcast satellite communications equipment and systems, and bespoke geo-information services, worldwide. Astrium is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2011, the Group - comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter - generated revenues of € 49.1 billion and employed a workforce of over 133,000.

About SES:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 52 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide. Services include satellite cable TV, satellite internet and HDTV.

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. More information and satellite footprint maps can be found at www.ses.com.

SES contracts Boeing to manufacture SES-9 satellite for Asia

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:22:03 GMT

SES S.A. (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) and Boeing has announced it has selected Boeing to build a new communication satellite, SES-9, to serve the fast growing markets in Asia.

The new satellite - ordered through SES' affiliate company SES Satellite Leasing Ltd - will expand SES' capabilities to provide direct-to-home broadcasting and other communications services in Northeast Asia, South Asia and Indonesia, as well as maritime communications for vessels in the Indian Ocean.

The spacecraft will be positioned at the orbital slot of 108.2 degrees East and provide incremental as well as replacement capacity to this well established SES slot over Asia, where it will be collocated with the existing SES-7 and NSS-11 satellites.

SES-9 will be built in Boeing's El Segundo Satellite Development Center based on the Boeing 702HP platform. The satellite is designed to operate for 15 years in geosynchronous orbit with a 12.7-kilowatt payload and 57 high-power Ku-band transponders (equivalent to 81 x 36 MHz transponders). The spacecraft will carry a xenon ion propulsion system (XIPS) for all on-orbit maneuvering and a chemical bi-propellant system for initial orbit raising.

Boeing has a 25-year relationship with SES. SES-9 is the 11th spacecraft that SES has ordered from Boeing and the contract includes an option for an additional satellite. Financial details are not being disclosed.

States Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES said: "We look forward to work again with Boeing on an important addition to our global fleet: SES-9 will greatly expand our transmission capacity over Asia, while adding increased flexibility and redundancy to a strategic orbital slot. SES is convinced that Boeing's 702HP will prove to be mission-critical in order to provide state-of-the-art, high-power satellite capacity to the thriving markets of Asia."

"We are pleased to be selected by SES to build a highly flexible 702HP satellite, which has a uniquely configured XIPS propulsion system and chemical bi-propellant system, reducing the spacecraft's launch weight while allowing for maximum payload capacity," said Craig Cooning, Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Satellite Systems International and Vice President and General Manager of Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems. "Boeing has continuously evolved the 702 design since it was introduced over 15 years ago, allowing us to provide SES a satellite that will be consistent with its business requirements."

About SES:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 52 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite services to broadcasters, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide, including satellite broadband and including the capacity to broadcast 3DTV content. Satellite footprint maps can be found on the SES website.

HITEC Luxembourg and SES TechCom sign multi antenna procurement contract

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:55:29 GMT

HITEC Luxembourg S.A., the Luxembourg based engineering and technology company has announced it has been selected for provisioning four antenna systems as part of the satellite ground stations to monitor and control the EDRS satellite network. The project is led by SES TechCom, a subcontractor to DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt), which recently signed a contract with Astrium to furnish major parts of the ground segment. The contract with HITEC Luxembourg includes the design, manufacturing and on-site installation of the antennas at key sites in Germany, UK and Belgium.

"The ground infrastructure is an essential part of European Data Relay Satellite System (EDRS). The high quality standard in product and service delivery of SES TechCom ensures that all requirements for such an innovative ground segment are met. Relying on the experience gained in several successful accomplished European projects with our partner HITEC Luxembourg, we selected the company to supply the four antenna systems," said Gerhard Bethscheider, Managing Director SES TechCom.

EDRS is the European network of geostationary satellites which acts as gateway between Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and ground stations. The system will allow these LEO satellites to deliver data continuously in broadband quality, even with no line-of-sight to their respective ground station. EDRS will offer new opportunities in data acquisition and delivery following disasters and foster new applications in the field of environmental protection, security and weather forecasting.

The innovative 6.8 meter diameter, limited motion antennas will play an integral role in the system architecture of the EDRS. The EDRS ground stations will consist of two 'feeder link' ground stations (FLGS) and two data ground stations, all operating in Ka-Band. The first satellite ground stations are scheduled to be delivered by year end 2013, with the last ones being installed by mid-2014.

"Having accurate information in-time is crucial nowadays, especially when it comes to disaster response and security applications. The EDRS system will significantly increase the timeliness with which we are able to receive data for communication or monitoring services. Reliability and performance of ground stations is a must in these application fields. Our innovative Luxembourg engineered antenna systems fulfil these requirements to support faster and more reliable data transmission, and our company is proud to be awarded this procurement contract in the built up phase of a European space data highway," stated Yves Elsen, Managing Partner and CEO of HITEC Luxembourg.

About HITEC Luxembourg S.A:
HITEC Luxembourg offers high technology solutions covering different business areas: satellite ground segment technology; customer specific and standard equipment for testing and measuring of physical properties; engineering; consulting; software & ICT development and project management. HITEC Luxembourg serves private and public sector customers at a national and international level. Its business objectives, as a specialized high technology provider are to achieve a strong sustainable market position; to expand its activities at an international level as well as to promote the Luxembourg site through the realization of innovative high quality value-added products and services.

About SES:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications and broadcast media services, including TV satellites which offer satellite cable TV and hybrid TV capabilities to broadcasters; content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide. Satellite footprint maps can be found on the SES website.

SES Broadband signs agreement with Damy Engineering

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:38:01 GMT

SES Broadband Services, a 100% owned affiliate of satellite operator SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), have announced that it has signed an agreement with Damy Engineering for the use of 18 MHz on SES' ASTRA 4A satellite, covering Sub-Saharan Africa. Damy Engineering will start using the capacity, as well as the platform of SES Broadband Services, beginning mid-September 2012 for internet access in Benin.

Damy Engineering will commercialise and install SES satellite broadband at attractive prices to individuals and schools in Benin. Its offer will also include an online learning platform and free internet terminals in post offices throughout the country. For the rollout of the internet access services, Damy Engineering is also co-operating with La Poste du Benin and Nomotech, a subsidiary of SFR, the second largest mobile operator in France.

"Although broadband access is a key factor for economic success and education, it remains a challenge in many African countries," said Patrick Biewer, Managing Director of SES Broadband Services. "We are delighted that Damy Engineering has chosen to use our platform to provide internet connectivity to improve educational opportunities for individuals and schools in Benin. It is an important contribution to bridging the digital and economic divide in Africa."

"How can we establish an internet culture in a country lacking interconnection infrastructure, where cabled internet (xDSL) is notoriously inaccessible and 'white zones' constitute the overwhelming majority of the national territory? It is within this context of seeking solutions to allow equal access to its platform that Damy Engineering became interested in alternative technologies for internet access. SES Broadband Services and its world-class services have emerged as a compelling solution - proven and easy to deploy," said Charles-Joel Djikpesse, General Manager of Damy Engineering.

About SES:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 51 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite services to broadcasters, including the capacity to broadcast digital TV and HDTV content, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.

SES and SpaceX announce contract for three satellite launches

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 09:45:24 GMT

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) have announced an agreement to launch three additional SES satellites on SpaceX's Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy rockets.

This launch agreement - concluded through SES' affiliate company SES-SL - builds on the successful SpaceX-SES partnership that began in March 2011 with the signing of the agreement for SES-8, due for launch in 2013. All four Falcon missions will support the enhancement of SES' global fleet of satellites.

Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES, stated: "SES was the first leading commercial satellite operator to place a launch contract with SpaceX and we eagerly await the launch of SES-8 in 2013. This new contract is testimony to our belief in SpaceX's product and technical abilities. It also confirms SES' priority for diversification of launch service providers and for securing timely access to space. We look forward to a long-term relationship with SpaceX."

"We're very pleased to add these three additional launches to our agreement with SES," said Gwynne Shotwell, President of SpaceX. "It's a strong endorsement of our launch capabilities and continues an outstanding partnership between our companies."

The first SES/SpaceX mission under the contract is scheduled for 2015.

About SES:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 51 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, including the capacity to broadcast hybrid TV and 3DTV content, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide. Satellite footprint maps can be found on the SES website.

About SpaceX:
SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches the world's most advanced rockets and spacecraft. With a diverse manifest of more than 40 launches to resupply the space station and deliver commercial and government satellites to orbit, SpaceX is the world's fastest growing launch services provider. In 2012, SpaceX made history when its Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial vehicle to successfully attach to the International Space Station – a feat previously achieved by only four governments.

FreeAgent unveils revamp of award winning cloud accounting system

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 11:14:44 GMT

FreeAgent has dramatically overhauled its award-winning online accounting system in order to make it easier than ever for small businesses and freelancers to stay on top of their finances.

As part of an extensive development project, FreeAgent has revamped and upgraded key areas of its cloud accounting software, ensuring it is more intuitive to use for tens of thousands of customers across the UK and overseas.

The redesign was released to beta testers earlier this year, before being rolled out to all FreeAgent customers in June.

Among the key changes are:
- A completely re-imagined Overview page including a new cash flow reporting panel
- The ability to see account balance charts totalled over all bank accounts
- A new contact summary screen with useful data around client/supplier performance
- New charts that have been optimised to work on iPhones and iPads

Roan Lavery, Product Designer and co-founder of FreeAgent, said: "Our redesign has been a real labour of love. We've spent the past year refining and upgrading the system so that it provides our customers with the best possible solution for managing their accounts - and we're delighted with the results.

"Our customers regularly give us great feedback, and we listened carefully to many of the specific upgrades and new feature requests they wanted to see in FreeAgent. We've used a lot of these suggestions during our redesign and, judging by the overwhelmingly positive reaction we've had so far, it’s clear that our customers are very happy with the changes that we've made.

"We're committed to ensuring FreeAgent is the most intuitive and useful online accounting system on the market for small businesses and freelancers. We believe this redesign will provide all of our customers with the best possible way to manage their business finances."

ENDS

About FreeAgent:
Edinburgh-based independent FreeAgent has pioneered online accounting since the launch of its service in 2007. It has rapidly grown a loyal community of freelancers and small businesses, who pay either monthly or annually for access to its software offering many easy to use features.

In a survey, 99.5% of FreeAgent users said they would recommend the software to others, and the service won the prize for Best Newcomer at the 2009 SIFT Media Software Satisfaction Awards. In 2010 it won the SIFT SME Accounting and Finance Software Satisfaction Award, beating all of its desktop and web-based competitors to take the title. The company also offers a free accountancy software trial to those who may be interested in the company's products. More information can be found at www.freeagent.com.

Friends Reunited launches mobile app to help save memories

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:26:50 GMT

Friends Reunited has launched a new mobile app to help people turn their old photos, tickets, letters and memorabilia into lasting memories. 'My Keepsafe' is available now, and for free, on Android and iPhones.

The new app allows Friends Reunited members to easily upload photos from their mobile phone to their Friends Reunited Keepsafe, which stores the memories privately and safely online. The Keepsafe contains uploaded photos, or any memories 'kept' on the Friends Reunited site, so users can now keep up with comments and conversations around these photos, wherever they are. The new app also gives people the ability to share those 'Remember when' moments happening around them, such as discovering a pack of Sherbet Dib Dabs in a local shop, or a picture from a reunited band's comeback gig.

The app's camera and editing tools make it simple to quickly digitise old photos and upload them privately, with just a couple of clicks. Once a photo is uploaded, it can be shared via Facebook, Twitter and email from directly within the app. It can also be shared with the thousands of memory boxes already created on Friends Reunited, or form the start of a brand new nostalgic collection.

Matt Bushby, Head of Friends Reunited commented: "Our members have shown a real desire for a quick and straightforward way to get their most precious memories online. The 'My Keepsafe' app was created to make this really easy; with inbuilt functionality to scan, edit and share memories from old albums and shoeboxes, or simply to upload photos saved on mobile phones.

"Since launch, we've seen members add thousands of photos to their own personal keepsafe boxes, covering anything from favourite sporting memories to the more intimate and personal family memories. As the home of the nation's memories, we want to make it as easy as possible for people to share these amazing moments with the friends and family that really matter."

Members can upload their memories with the peace of mind that they can easily control their privacy settings. The site allows people to store their most personal memories completely privately or choose to share those memories with a select few. In addition to the new app, the full Friends Reunited experience is available on mobile devices, allowing users to keep up with their favourite memory boxes, on the go.

Friends Reunited was launched in 2000 as the first UK social network. The phenomenon then spawned sister sites Genes Reunited and Friends Reunited Dating, in 2003, the Group was bought by ITV in 2005 and the social networking site went free in 2008. In March 2010 online publishing and technology group brightsolid purchased the Friends Reunited Group from ITV and has integrated it into its portfolio of pioneering sites where people go to search their past, share their story and connect with people and places. In April 2012 the new site launched to reunite the nation with every blast from their past and as the place to celebrate those 'Remember when?' moments.

For more information on the app visit: http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk/mobile.

- ENDS -

About Friends Reunited:
Friends Reunited is the original social network with over 24 million members. Launched in 2000 as a back-bedroom hobby to put old school friends back in touch, it swiftly became a British media phenomenon. Today, the site has evolved to celebrate every blast from the past, becoming a central part of the brightsolid mission to safeguard the nation's history.

SES extends partnership with MediaScape via multi-year capacity deal

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:45:10 GMT

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) has announced a new multi-year agreement with one of its largest customers in the Philippines, MediaScape Inc, to provide additional capacity on the SES-7 satellite at the prime orbital location of 108.2 degrees East. With this capacity expansion MediaScape will utilise transponders on both SES-7 and NSS-11, satellites that are co-located at the same orbital location.

The additional satellite capacity will initially enable MediaScape to ramp up Cignal TV's Direct-to-Home (DTH) offering to 15 High Definition (HD) channels and 51 Standard Definition (SD) channels, up from 9 HD channels and 37 SD channels in 2011. Cignal, the largest and fastest growing satellite TV provider in the Philippines, currently serves over 250,000 subscribers across the country.

Deepak Mathur, Senior Vice President Commercial, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East at SES, said: "SES' decision to build up the DTH neighbourhood at 108.2 degrees East with SES-7 and NSS-11 underscores our commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, and further strengthens our partnership with MediaScape. We are delighted to be able to provide MediaScape with the capacity they need to help realise their goal of changing the Philippines' media landscape by providing households with a full digital experience."

Annie Naval, COO and Managing Director of Cignal, said: "The new deal will allow us to grow new TV audiences throughout the Philippines, enabling millions of TV households to access high quality satellite TV. We are also benefitting from SES' global expertise in carrying High Definition TV programmes as we expand Cignal HD's lineup, which now offers a wide variety of premium programmes covering sports, lifestyle, kids, history and movies."

About SES:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide. Satellite footprint maps and a full TV guide can be found on the SES website.

SES signs new multi-year capacity deal with Telikom PNG

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 10:36:23 GMT

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) has announced that it has signed a new multi-year capacity deal with Telikom Papua New Guinea (Telikom PNG), the country's incumbent telecommunications operator. The deal involves a renewal of satellite capacity on NSS-9 at 183 degrees East and on NSS-6 at 95 degrees East. In total, Telikom PNG currently contracts more than 100 MHz in capacity with SES and is one of SES' largest customers in Papua New Guinea.

Telikom PNG is the premier operator of voice and data services in Papua New Guinea. The renewal will enable Telikom PNG to continue expanding its cellular services into new regions and provide telephone services over challenging mountainous terrain by providing cellular backhaul between a large number of sites around the country and the capital, Port Moresby.

Deepak Mathur, Senior Vice President Commercial, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East at SES, said: "NSS-9 deploys state-of-the-art technology and is one of the most powerful satellites in SES' fleet of 50 satellites, enabling customers like Telikom PNG to optimise their networks to get the maximum throughput to save costs and operate more efficiently. We are delighted to support Telikom PNG's service expansion to improve connectivity for enterprises, governments and consumers, and contribute further to the development of the telecommunications sector in Papua New Guinea."

Charles Litau, CEO, Telikom Papua New Guinea, said: "The new deal will allow us to provide our customers with connectivity to the remotest locations - the highlands, mining camps and islands of Papua New Guinea. We have benefitted from SES' global expertise and excellent technical and engineering support, and we look forward to further developing our strong partnership by exploring other business opportunities in Papua New Guinea."

About SES:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite services to broadcasters, including HD TV and digital TV; content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.

SES gathers momentum in Asia Pacific with further significant fleet investment

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 09:29:56 GMT

The increasing popularity of direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television and the growing demand for High Definition (HD) broadcast content across Asia-Pacific are driving the demand for satellite capacity in the region.

With the number of satellite TV channels offered by DTH platforms in Southeast Asia projected to reach 1,600 by 2016, leading global satellite operator SES is ramping up investment activities in Asia-Pacific to meet the increasing demand for satellite capacity.

SES' current committed investment in Asia includes SES-8, which is due to launch in the first quarter of 2013. The satellite will deliver vital expansion capacity to thriving Asian video neighbourhoods in South Asia and Indochina. SES-8 will be the first geostationary satellite launched by SpaceX on a Falcon 9 rocket.

Additionally, SES is looking for further growth opportunities and sees the potential to invest in one to two additional satellites to deliver increased satellite capacity and coverage in Asia-Pacific beyond 2014. The new satellites will help fuel the growth in the pay TV markets and the maritime industry in the region.

"SES has experienced considerable growth in the emerging markets of Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa in the past year, which contributed 24 per cent of total revenue in 2011. By making these substantial investments to meet demand for satellite capacity in Asia-Pacific, we hope to grow with our customers and continue to be the partner of choice for broadcasters, governments, businesses and communities here," said Deepak Mathur, Senior Vice President, Commercial, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, SES.

About SES
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite services to broadcasters, such as HD TV and digital TV, allowing internet access while offering a number of TV channels; content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.

2DAY Telecom expands GSM backhaul services in Kazakhstan with SES

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:39:51 GMT

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange:SESG) has announced that 2DAY Telecom has signed a long-term capacity agreement to expand its reach and meet the growing needs of GSM backhaul services throughout Kazakhstan.

2DAY Telecom increased capacity utilisation aboard SES' NSS-12 satellite by 50 per cent to 54 MHz to deliver mobile communication services over challenging mountainous terrain in Kazakhstan. NSS-12 is also used to provide top quality telephone service to meet the country's growing GSM demands.

2DAY Telecom is a subsidiary of VimpelCom in Kazakhstan. The VimpelCom group provides voice and data services through a range of wireless, fixed and broadband technologies in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam and Cambodia. VimpelCom operating companies provide services under the "Beeline" and "Kyivstar" brands. It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and headquartered in Amsterdam.

Viktor Gryban, CEO of 2DAY Telecom, said: "As mobile communications continues to be the one of the fastest growing sectors in Kazakhstan, satellite is being established as one of the most reliable forms of infrastructure that can overcome geographical barriers and provide extensive coverage. NSS-12's high-powered dedicated beam provides excellent coverage over Kazakhstan, allowing us to expand our services into new regions within the country."

Norbert Hölzle, Senior Vice President Commercial Europe of SES, said: "SES is proud that 2DAY Telecom continues to rely on SES know-how and satellite capacity to provide vital communication services across the country. Together 2DAY Telecom and SES will connect the people of Kazakhstan regardless of where they live."

About SES
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, such as Hybrid TV, allowing internet access while offering a number of TV channels; content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide. A full TV guide can be found on the SES website.

John Hayes MP announces launch of JISC TechDis text to speech voices by CereProc

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:33:36 GMT

eading UK advisory service, JISC TechDis has today formally launched TechDis Voices, two synthetic voices – created in partnership with text to speech (TTS) company, CereProc – developed for use in the education system throughout England, at the Go On: National Digital Conference (NDC2012) in London.

Announced by John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, the development of the TechDis Voices, funded by the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS), serves to make youthful and modern voices freely available throughout the further, higher, and continuing education sectors.

Working in collaboration, JISC TechDis and CereProc developed the text to speech voices - one male, Jack and one female, Jess – to encourage the use of text to speech TTS tools among, students, staff and life long learners throughout the education system in England.

At an event celebrating the campaign for digital inclusion, the launch marks a recognition of the increasing importance of text to speech (TTS) technology and voice software, supporting CereProc’s broad research and development strategy to explore how individuals and organisations can benefit from the integration of text to speech (TTS) technology.

“We’re delighted that the TechDis voices have had such fantastic reception at this year’s Go On: NDC 2012. A truly multi faceted project in terms of application and user benefits, it’s great to have the backing of John Hayes MP, and to be given such a fantastic stage to launch the TechDis voices among an audience with such an open and forward thinking attitude,” explained Paul Welham, Chief Executive at CereProc.

Primarily designed to support individuals who require assistive and alternative communication aids for speech output, and those visually impaired users dependent upon the TTS technology to access educational resources, the TechDis voices also serve as a tool to improve productivity when embedded into wider mainstream multichannel practices.

Blending CereProc’s efficient patented voice creation technology with JISC TechDis’ commitment to driving forward awareness of the value of providing freely available text to speech (TTS) voices, the collaboration has produced two high quality, youthful and modern voices that retain the character and sentiment of the voice artist.

Supported by JISC TechDis by being given access to thousands of potential users, CereProc carried out intensive research, selection and a period of beta testing among active users to ascertain the most effective and well received voices.

Explaining the significance of the TechDis Voices, Alistair McNaught, Senior Advisor with JISC TechDis added: “Text-to-speech has been very poorly used in the education sector. We believe that by having learner focussed voices, that learners themselves have helped to choose we can transform its mainstream acceptance and availability.”

“We are hoping that Jess and Jack will help bring text-to-speech out of the shadows and into the light of mainstream education provision. There are so many benefits for so many different types of people,” concluded Sal Cooke, Directory of JISC TechDis.

Free to access for education users, the voices are available for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X and compatible with screen readers and many other widely used applications. During his plenary speech, John Hayes also launched the TechDis Toolbox alongside the TechDis Voices.

For a video introduction, go to http://vimeo.com/42704700

Visit the website for more information www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/voices

SCH announces unaudited results for Financial year ending 31 March 2012

Mon, 28 May 2012 12:35:24 GMT

SCH (Specialist Computer Holdings plc), Europe's largest privately owned technology group, has released a set of unaudited results revealing that the financial year ending 31 March 2012 recorded the strongest performance in the company’s 35-year history.

Despite challenging trading conditions the group recorded a highly successful year, achieving an increase in net revenues of more than 10% as turnover rose to more than £2.75billion. With the company’s UK operations showing particularly strong growth, SCH saw gross profits rise by in excess of 8% year-on-year.

Group highlights from the financial year ending 31st March 2012:

• Sales revenue grew to over £2.75 billion

• Operating profit (EBIT) up in excess of 50%

• Growth in overheads limited to 3%

. Positive net cash balance showing a £50 million improvements

The results follow a year of significant investment for the company, particularly around cloud services, as it built a range of dedicated solutions for the private and public sectors. Following the implementation of a strategy that has seen the group move away from its traditional sales model to a service based approach, the company anticipates continued growth and a robust outlook for the financial year 2012-13.

Sir Peter Rigby, Chairman and Chief Executive of SCH, said:

"We’re delighted to record the best results in the company’s history. Although market conditions continue to be challenging, our policy of continued investment in the group and its activities has paid off thanks to a combination of careful planning, savvy financial expertise and disciplined leadership.

"The group is now perfectly poised to build on the successes of the last year, and awe look forward to a particularly strong 2012-2013."

James Rigby, Managing Director of SCC added:

"This has been our third consecutive record year for SCC in Britain, recording a significant growth rate that has ultimately resulted in our highest-earning year to date. I’m particularly pleased that we’ve done so despite making significant investments in both people and facilities as we pursue our strategy of moving towards a more service-oriented model, which is a real tribute to the hard work and talent demonstrated by our people year in, year out.”

Text to Speech expert CereProc collaborates to give the Austrian Postal Service a voice

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:19:58 GMT

Global leader in text to speech technology, CereProc, has created the world’s first Austrian language text to speech (TTS) voice together with Telecommunications Research Centre Vienna (FTW), partnering with Voice Business to deliver an advanced track and trace system for the Austrian Mail Service.

Working with FTW for two years as part of the Viennese Sociolect and Dialect Synthesis (VSDS) project, CereProc created the Austrian text to speech voice - named Leopold - from voice recordings and clippings, before being deployed and subsequently integrated - in partnership with Voice Business - for use across the country.

Marking a successful partnership and effective project delivery, Dr. Matthew Aylett, CTO of CereProc explained:

“We’re very proud of the Leopold voice, and the way in which it is being used in such an innovative and purposeful employment to such fantastic reception. With all partners involved in the project offering their respective expertise and resources efficiently and with enthusiasm, it has been a real pleasure to work alongside each team to deliver the final track and trace system on time, and on budget.”

Being one of the first of its kind and handling more than 30,000 calls each month, CereProc’s Leopold voice technology - delivered by Voice Business, under prime contractors Telekom Austria and Siemens - is being used to effectively ‘answer’ telephone calls from customers seeking to track and trace their parcels throughout the Austrian postal network.

“As is the case among all strong cultural groups, people clearly enjoy the engaging nature of experiencing natural and characterful native voices in automated communication systems. We’re looking forward to exploring further sectors across the Austrian market, while examining further potential text to speech voice creation projects across the globe. It gives us great satisfaction to provide the less spoken languages - but no less important - of the world with a cost effective and natural TTS voice!” Aylett continued.

A highly effective IVR deployment of CereProc’s multichannel TTS cServer and MRCP Connector to service the over 8 million strong population, the innovative system processes identification numbers to compose a summary of all status messages which is then delivered to the caller as a dynamic summary using the natural sounding Austrian voice, Leopold.

Commenting on the creation of the voice, Michael Pucher, Senior Researcher at the Telecommunications Research Centre Vienna, Austria, said:

“When we decided to commercialize our research results we were happy to have CereProc as an industrial partner with its competence in voice building and software development. Together we built the first high-quality Austrian German synthetic voice, which is now successfully used for reading websites, in spoken dialog systems, and for screen readers. “

CereProc’s collaboration with FTW and Voice Business has strengthened the text to speech expert’s position at the forefront of global TTS technology industry as a full service key partner for voice creation, deployment and integration of innovative and viable speech synthesis solutions for commercial purposes.

Notes to Editors

As the UK's only text-to-speech (TTS) solutions company, CereProc produces speech synthesis systems that offer voices with character and personality. Having developed the world's most advanced TTS technology, with consistent international commercial and academic success, the Edinburgh-based company is a recognised leader in all aspects of speech technology.

Founded in 2005 by a leading team of speech experts, CereProc works with a raft of companies and academic institutions to develop innovative TTS systems, designed to provide an engaging user experience, delivering realistic, emotional, custom built voices in multiple languages.

Available on platforms from mobile and embedded devices to desktops and servers, CereProc's core synthesis engine, CereVoice, remains at the forefront of TTS technology. Recently granted a patent for Emotional Speech Synthesis, the global TTS experts are relentlessly committed to innovation in research and development, continually pushing market boundaries to expand their product range and service areas.

CereProc offers its customers, from consumers and high profile individuals to world renowned institutions and brands, a wide range of solutions including multichannel TTS software for servers, application development tools, and custom built branded voices, alongside voice bundles for resale and individual voices for direct download.

Satellite and SES continue their growth path in Europe

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:32:05 GMT

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) has announced that satellite has become the leading TV infrastructure in Europe, ahead of terrestrial and cable reception.

Approximately 84 million European households have satellite (Direct-to-Home, DTH) as their primary TV reception mode, an increase of 22 percent over the last four years. In the same period, terrestrial TV lost nearly 16 million homes, while cable TV lost over 2 million. IPTV - the TV distribution over tele-communication networks in IP format - has grown from a very low level to some 16 million households.

These are the results of the year-end Satellite Monitor that SES presents annually and that is based on primary research in 35 European and North African countries. The study is based on more than 62,000 interviews, conducted by leading market research institutes under the lead of TNS Infratest, Germany.

The main growth markets for satellite in 2011 were the UK, Germany, Ukraine, Poland and Italy. The main growth drivers are the development of digital reception and High Definition (HD). Satellite today is the leading digital infrastructure, reaching nearly 44 percent of all 186 million digital TV homes in Europe. The digitalisation rate of satellite is 97 percent, compared to 70 percent in terrestrial reception and 48 percent in cable.

The new study that SES presented today in London also shows that ASTRA is extending its position in the European markets. Around 142 million TV households are served by ASTRA, 7 million more than the year before and 25 million more than four years ago. More than half of the European TV homes (57 percent) receive their signals from ASTRA. 73 percent of all European satellite homes are ASTRA households, a total of 62 million. As a leader of digitalisation and High Definition (HD), ASTRA is also the leading HDTV platform in Europe. Over 23 million of the total 29 million satellite HD households in Europe are ASTRA households. The ASTRA Satellite System transmits 267 HD channels.

Worldwide, SES broadcasts more than 1200 HD channels on its fleet of 50 satellites and reaches 258 million TV households.

"This success confirms our view that satellite reception is the most attractive and future-proof mode for households to watch TV", said Norbert Hölzle, Senior Vice President Commercial Europe, in London. "The trend in Germany, where satellite overtook cable for the first time in history, is confirmed in the UK as well as in Europe overall, where satellite outgrew the other reception modes. The number and variety of channels, the quality of the broadcast, and the large reach of satellite remain compelling arguments for households to decide for a satellite dish. The factual growth of satellite and ASTRA in the digital world confirms their leading role. It puts us in a strong position to compete with other networks and combine our strengths with DSL and broadband reception. The combination of both in the connected TV will be the best of all possible worlds for the TV viewer."

About SES
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) owns and operates the ASTRA Satellite System. It holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks.

SES and Samsung unveil Africa's first TV with integrated free-to-air satellite receiver

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:34:31 GMT

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announced at the Samsung Africa Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, that it is collaborating with Samsung to drive digital broadcasting via satellite in sub-Saharan Africa. Samsung will introduce an LED television with an integrated free-to-air satellite receiver, the Samsung LED TV Free Satellite, that will be distributed in Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon in August 2012. Distribution to additional countries will follow.

The integrated satellite receiver will allow consumers to receive free-to-air television channels without the need for an additional set top box as the LED TV will be directly connected with the satellite dish. In preparation for the launch, SES and Samsung will jointly arrange training sessions with distribution partners and installers to ensure the proper connection of the TV device to the satellite dish. Both partners will also run a joint marketing campaign in June 2012.

As a leader in the free-to-air digital TV market, SES delivers more than 60 free-to-air channels in more than 40 African countries. The launch of the new Samsung LED TV Free Satellite coincides with more channels becoming available in Africa.

"This collaboration is the first of its kind and will drive digitalization in Africa," said Christoph Limmer, SES's Senior Director of Marketing Development and Marketing in Africa. "Today, one out of three households in Africa has a TV set but less than 10 million homes receive content in digital format. Our cooperation will not only help to improve access to digital content for African consumers but it will also encourage African broadcasters to launch more content. In servicing more than 40 African countries, we are well aware of the huge demand for more and higher quality TV services. The opportunity lies in providing an increasingly sophisticated African viewership with a significantly increased number of TV channels - a first for many African countries."

"The Samsung LED TV Free Satellite is our contribution to the continent's efforts to 'go digital', providing African consumers with greater choice and broadcasters with the opportunity to grow the region's media industry," said Dae Hee Kim, Regional Product Manager at Samsung Africa.

SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements. SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. Further information under: www.ses.com.

SES renames ASTRA Broadband Services to SES Broadband Services

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:13:35 GMT

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) has announced that it has renamed its satellite internet subsidiary ASTRA Broadband Services as SES Broadband Services. Its successful satellite internet service ASTRA2Connect is renamed as SES Broadband.

The new names are in line with SES' new Corporate Identity and its consistent use for all SES companies. SES Broadband Services provides high-speed broadband via satellite for individuals, businesses and communities.

Patrick Biewer, Managing Director of SES Broadband Services, said: "With its fleet investment, SES has laid the foundation for future growth. The new corporate identity supports SES' ambitious goals. These include a unified service offering to customers across the globe. Leveraging on SES' global presence and access to its entire fleet, we are convinced that the new names will strengthen our market position and benefit the expansion of our business into new and exciting regions."

SES Broadband was introduced in 2007 and represents Europe's largest satellite broadband network with more than 80,000 subscribers. Marketed via distribution partners in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the service offers a unique opportunity to individuals, businesses and communities to access the internet independent from any terrestrial infrastructure. The service is technically available across the entire fleet of SES and able to support Triple Play services combining broadband access with Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony and TV reception.

SES Broadband Services will exhibit at Information and Communication Technology trade fair CeBIT in Hannover, 6-10 March 2012 at the BITKOM Broadband World stand in hall 13.

About SES:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites. SES satellite communications service broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.

SCC secures role in G-Cloud framework

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:48:20 GMT

Leading integrator SCC has announced the success of its application for a framework agreement for the provision of G-Cloud services.

Following a comprehensive public tender process the Government Procurement Service has granted SCC’s application to offer G-Cloud services in four categories, including Infrastructure (IaaS) Services, Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and Specialist Cloud Services.

Europe’s largest independent technology solutions provider believes that the success of its tender can be ascribed to a combination of its long-term investment in cloud technology and the strategic advantage of operating one of the UK’s most advanced data centres.

“We’re delighted to have been awarded a framework agreement covering all four of the categories that we applied for. SCC has been at the forefront of cloud computing for some time and we’ve established a track record of investing ahead of the curve, so this announcement serves as a vindication of that strategy,” said Tracy Westall, SCC’s UK Public Sector Director.

“G-Cloud is a concerted effort to enable the kind of technology initiatives that will help the government deliver services faster, better and cheaper, and we’re proud to be playing a role in that mission.”

SCC Chief Technology Officer Rhys Sharp added: “The strategic value of operating from a secure, environmentally friendly facility within the UK is not to be underestimated. We look forward to working with a range of companies from multinational corporations to SMEs to help public sector organisations select and implement the services they need to help make Britain better.”

ENDS

About SCC

SCC is Europe’s largest independent technology solutions provider around the infrastructure, and is part of Specialist Computer Holdings (SCH) plc. The Group has regional operations in seven different countries, employs over 7,000 professional staff and has delivered sustained, profitable growth for some 35 years, with annual turnover exceeding £2.5 billion.

SCC has an enviable track record of success in helping Business and Government organisations profit from technology, enhance service delivery and remove unnecessary cost. Established partnerships with the world’s leading technology brands combine with long term investment in design, delivery and services capability to help customers achieve a rapid return on their investment in IT.

http://www.scc.com

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