MultiChoice Secures Pre-launch Satellite Capacity on Intelsat 20

Contract a Significant Milestone in Intelsat’s 45-year History

Pembroke, Bermuda, 11 September 2009

Intelsat, Ltd., the world’s leading provider of fixed satellite services, announced that South African direct-to-home (DTH) television operator, MultiChoice, signed a long-term, multi-transponder agreement for satellite capacity. The agreement extends and expands MultiChoice’s existing contract on the Intelsat 7 satellite at 68.5º E to the follow-on satellite, Intelsat 20 (IS-20), which is slated to be launched in early 2012. The contract, which spans the 15-year expected life of IS-20, also provides restoration capacity, resulting in a more robust network platform.

MultiChoice and Intelsat collaborated on the design of the South African Ku-band payload for IS-20, which will optimize the signal reception power for MultiChoice’s more than 2.6 million DStv customers throughout South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique.

“The growth our business is experiencing is fueled by new content combined with the best technology. For almost all of the past two decades, Intelsat has been one of the cornerstones of MultiChoice’s success,” said Nico Meyer, Chief Financial Officer, MultiChoice. “This contract provides us with the transmission services we require to grow our programming platform and expand our subscriber base, and gives us the business continuity we need to provide the highest quality service to our subscribers for years to come.”  

“Intelsat’s 68.5º E orbital location is the leading video neighborhood for Africa, and a high-value orbital location for DTH service providers like MultiChoice that require the ideal coverage, resilience and reliability the Intelsat network provides,” said Flavien Bachabi, Intelsat’s Regional Vice President, Africa. “This agreement demonstrates the partnerships we build with our customers in developing customized solutions that support their long-term business objectives.”

The IS-20 satellite, which will also replace the Intelsat 10 satellite, will provide services to Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and India. The satellite's Ku-band payload is specifically designed to provide enterprise network and DTH services into Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The IS-20’s C-band payload will provide regional and international programmers with penetration into one of the most successful cable distribution neighborhoods serving the South Asian cable communities.

Intelsat will be exhibiting in Hall 1, Stand C71 at IBC 2009, the international tradeshow for professionals involved in the creation, management and delivery of content for the broadcasting industry, which is being held at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 11-15 September.

About MultiChoice

MultiChoice provides premium digital media entertainment, content and services to multiple devices, which include Pay TV subscriber services, to over 2.6 million customers throughout Southern Africa. Its dynamic technology platform and excellent bouquet of channels, built around compelling and premium movie and sports channels, has resulted in the company building a significant television business across South Africa, broadcasting more than 80 video, over 40 audio and 30 radio channels and more than 3 interactive channels, 24 hours a day on its DStv platform.

About Intelsat

Intelsat is the leading provider of fixed satellite services worldwide. For more than 40 years, Intelsat has been delivering information and entertainment for many of the world’s leading media and network companies, multinational corporations, Internet service providers and governmental agencies. Intelsat’s satellite, teleport and fiber infrastructure is unmatched in the industry, setting the standard for transmissions of video, data and voice services. From the globalization of content and the proliferation of HD, to the expansion of cellular networks and broadband access, with Intelsat, advanced communications anywhere in the world are closer, by far.

Contact

Nick Mitsis
nick.mitsis@intelsat.com
+1 202 944 7044

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Some of the statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical facts. The forward-looking statements made in this release reflect Intelsat's intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about future events and are subject to risks, including known and unknown risks. Detailed information about some of the known risks is included in Intelsat's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended 31 December 2008 and Intelsat's other periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Because actual results could differ materially from Intelsat's intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about the future, you are urged to view all forward-looking statements contained in this news release with caution. Intelsat does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.