Major Players of the DVB-SH Ecosystem Join Forces to Demonstrate Live Mobile TV in S-Band Throughout the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

BARCELONA, Spain, February 6 /PRNewswire/ -- On the occasion of the 2008 Mobile World Congress, major players from the DVB-SH ecosystem (Alcatel-Lucent, DiBcom, Eutelsat Communications, Sagem Mobiles, SES Astra, TeamCast and UDcast) are joining forces to deliver the first demonstration of live Mobile TV in S-Band based on DVB-SH covering the whole FIRA premises in Barcelona.

The demonstration will use DVB-SH ready "SAGEM myMobileTV" handsets from Sagem Mobiles, empowered by DiBcom's DVB-SH receiver prototypes.

The S-band signal will be made available by Alcatel-Lucent throughout the FIRA, thanks to a terrestrial repeater network using technological elements from TeamCast (DVB-SH modulators) and UDcast (DVB-SH IP encapsulators). Abertis will provide support for the installation of repeaters, cables and antennas and to access the content.

Eutelsat Communications will provide the satellite capacity for the distribution to the DVB-SH terrestrial repeater network of various live Mobile TV channels including CNBC, La Sexta, Canal 300, Nickelodeon, 40 Latino, 24h TVE, Teledeporte, and Telecinco Sport.

The DVB-SH standard (Digital Video Broadcasting - Satellite services to Handhelds) is an evolution of the DVB-H standard that offers three key benefits: a much greater choice in terms of spectrum (up to 3GHz); a better spectrum efficiency, directly translating into significant cost savings; a possible hybrid satellite/terrestrial operation, to extend mobile broadcast reach all across a territory. Its technical specifications were announced by the DVB Project just one year ago during the 2007 3GSM World Congress.

In Europe, DVB-SH will use the S-Band, a frequency band at 2.2GHz available across many European countries, and Europe's first S-Band space segment owned by a joint venture company of Eutelsat and SES Astra will be launched in the first quarter of 2009. The S-Band enables the use of the DVB-SH standard and is adjacent to the UMTS band, thus allowing reuse of existing cellular sites, towers and antennas.

In the US, the first DVB-SH operation will also be based on a hybrid system at 2.2GHz with an S-Band satellite to be launched by ICO Global Communications in March 2008.

This demonstration will be accessible from the following booths at FIRA: Alcatel-Lucent (Hall 8, booth 8A147), bmco forum (Hall 2, booth 2B82), DiBcom (Hall 2, booth 1D30), Abertis/Eutelsat (Courtyard Pavilion, booth CY14), Sagem Mobiles (Hall 8, booth 8B94) and UDcast (Hall 2, booth 2B89).

Further DVB-SH based demonstrations will be available on the Alcatel-Lucent booth, including unified DVB-H / S-Band (based on DVB-SH) Mobile TV on Sagem handsets, and interactive seamless 3G unicast / S-Band broadcast (based on DVB-SH) Mobile TV on Samsung handsets.

About Alcatel-Lucent (http://www.alcatel-lucent.com)

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) provides solutions that enable service providers, enterprises and governments worldwide, to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. As a leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP technologies, applications, and services, Alcatel-Lucent offers the end-to-end solutions that enable compelling communications services for people at home, at work and on the move. With operations in more than 130 countries, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with global reach. The company has the most experienced global services team in the industry, and one of the largest research, technology and innovation organizations in the telecommunications industry. Alcatel-Lucent achieved adjusted proforma revenues of Euro 18.3 billion in 2006 and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. (All figures exclude impact of activities transferred to Thales).

About DiBcom (http://www.dibcom.com)

DiBcom is at the heart of mobile TV. As a fabless semiconductor company, DiBcom enables low-power mobile and portable TV reception everywhere and at speeds exceeding 200 km/h. The company's solutions are used in automotive, PC/peripheral, mobile phones and other handheld devices. The company has developed a number of patented algorithms and architectures for fast and accurate channel estimation and high Doppler compensation. Its chipsets are compliant with the current worldwide Digital Video Broadcast standards DVB-T, DVB-H, DVB-SH, T-DMB and ISDB-T.

About Eutelsat Communications (http://www.eutelsat.com)

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 24 satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. At 30 September 2007, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting over 2,730 television channels, of which more than 1,000 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood which serves over 120 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates services through teleports in France and Italy that serve enterprises, local communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ 529 commercial, technical and operational experts from 27 countries.

About Sagem Mobiles (http://www.sagem.com/mobiles or http://www.safran-group.com)

Sagem Mobiles (SAFRAN Group) is a leading international player in the mobile telecommunications market arena. Sagem Mobiles designs, develops, produces and markets mobile phone products that pack cutting-edge technologies such as fixed-mobile convergence, mobile TV and NFC/RFID ID solutions, together with a comprehensive range of mobile phone accessories. Sagem Mobiles skill sets also extends to handling the development and production of mobile phones under Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) contracts.

About SES (http://www.ses.com)

SES (Euronext Paris, Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) wholly owns three market-leading satellite operators, SES ASTRA in Europe, SES AMERICOM in North America, and SES NEW SKIES, which provide global coverage and connectivity. The Company also holds 90% in SES Sirius in Europe as well as strategic participations Ciel in Canada and Quetzsat in Mexico. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 38 satellites in 25 orbital positions around the globe.

About TeamCast (http://www.teamcast.com)

TeamCast is a young company with strong technical credentials who supply 'OEM' product technology to infrastructure equipment providers for digital television broadcast networks. Capitalising on the expertise of their three founders, TeamCast's scientific and technical teams have been deeply involved in the definition, development and validation of a number of digital television broadcast standards - for example, the standards for mobile and portable terminals defined by DVB-H, DVB-SH and FLO 2.0. The OEM technology promoted by TeamCast provides a complete and compatible range of functional modules which are highly integrated and robust, and which the clients of TeamCast can easily integrate into their own transmitters, re-transmitters, base stations etc - thus forming the network infrastructure required for digital television broadcasting. Today TeamCast serves more than 225 customers in 45 countries. TeamCast's main research and development laboratories are based at St Grégoire, close to the city of Rennes. An American subsidiary, TeamCast Inc, based in Chicago (IL), was opened in February 2007, to enable closer working with US customers.

About UDcast (http://www.udcast.com)

UDcast is a leading software company providing IP broadcast solutions for the delivery of content to a broad range of devices over existing and emerging wireless networks worldwide. UDcast's Mobile TV technology is a key component in the end-to-end solutions from major systems providers including Motorola, Nokia, NSN, Alcatel-Lucent, Tandberg-Ericsson, Cisco-Scientific Atlanta, Harris Broadcasting and others. UDcast's satellite-aware IP appliances are widely deployed at thousands of sites around the globe. The Company was recognized in 2007 as a leading European technology company by the prestigious Red Herring Hot 100 award. The Company maintains its global headquarters in Sophia-Antipolis, France with offices in the USA, Spain, Algeria and Italy.

Alcatel-Lucent Press Contacts

Régine Coqueran, Tel: +33(0)1-40-76-49-24, regine.coqueran@alcatel-lucent.com; Stéphane Lapeyrade, Tel: +33(0)1-40-76-12-74, stephane.lapeyrade@alctel-lucent.com;

Alcatel-Lucent Investor Relations

Rémi Thomas Tel: +33(0)1-40-76-50-61 remi.thomas@alcatel-lucent.com Maria Alcon, Tel: +33(0)1-40-76-15-17, maria.alcon@alcatel-lucent.com; John DeBono, Tel: +1-908-582-7793, debono@alcatel-lucent.com; Tony Lucido, Tel: +33(0)1-40-76-49-80, alucido@alcatel-lucent.com; Don Sweeney, Tel: +1-908-582-6153, dsweeney@alcatel-lucent.com.

DiBcom Press Contacts

Yasmin Kaderbhoy / Open2Europe, Tel: +33(0)1-55-02-27-80, y.kaderbhoy@open2europe.com; Emma Keenan / Open2Europe, Tel: +33(0)1-55-02-14-59, e.keenan@open2europe.com; Mandy Bedard / Open2America, Tel: +1-403-454-5556, m.bedard@open2europe.com; Dalyce Suanez / Open2America, Tel: +1-403-454-5556, d.suanez@open2europe.com.

Eutelsat Communications Press Contacts

Vanessa O'Connor, Tel: +33(0)1-53-98-38-88, voconnor@eutelsat.fr; Frédérique Gautier, Tel: +33(0)1-53-98-38-88, fgautier@eutelsat.fr.

Sagem Mobiles Press Contacts

Maryse de Wever, Tel: +33(0)1-58-1245-12, maryse.dewever@sagem.com.

SES Astra Press Contacts

Markus Payer, Tel: +352-710-725-500, markus.payer@ses.com.

TeamCast Press Contacts

Sandrine Konnecke, Tel: +33(0)2-23-25-26-80, sandrine.konnecke@teamcast.com.

UDcast Press Contacts

Filip Gluszak, Tel: +33(0)4-93-00-16-60, fillip.gluszak@udcast.com; Jennifer Hicks - Ink Communications, Tel: +1-617-372-2272, jennifer@theinkstudio.com.