Record Growth for French TNTSAT on ASTRA

1.85 million TNTSAT terminals sold by end 2009
Strong growth expected in 2010 and 2011

LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SES ASTRA, an SES company (Paris:SESG)(LuxX:SESG), announced today that the French DTT on satellite offer TNTSAT, broadcast via ASTRA, posted strong growth with 1.85 million TNTSAT receivers sold as of end 2009.

Launched in March 2007, TNTSAT enjoyed strong growth in 2008, with 750,000 receivers sold. This trend accelerated in 2009 with 850,000 terminals sold. The take-up shows that French households outside the reach of terrestrial broadcasts adopt TNTSAT as a solution to be able to switch easily to digital television. With the transition to digital reception only at its beginning, further growth can be expected in 2010 and 2011.

With TNTSAT, viewers are able to receive all programs of the French digital terrestrial offer: 18 free-to-air programs, France O, the 24 regional channels of France 3 as well as four free-to-air channels in High Definition. In order to receive these programs, households only need a satellite dish pointed to an ASTRA satellite at the orbital position 19.2 degrees East and a TNTSAT receiver. Optimal reception of the offer is assured for the whole of France. There is no subscription or decoder rental fee for the service.

About SES ASTRA www.ses-astra.com

SES ASTRA is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in Europe. The satellite fleet currently comprises 13 ASTRA and two SIRIUS satellites. The combined satellite system delivers services to more than 122 million DTH and cable households and transmits more than 2,500 analogue and digital television and radio channels. SES ASTRA also provides satellite-based multimedia, internet and telecommunication services to enterprises, governments and their agencies. With more than 100 High Definition (HD) channels on its main orbital positions, ASTRA and SIRIUS represent the most important HDTV platform for Europe's leading broadcasters. The prime orbital positions for ASTRA and SIRIUS are 19.2° East, 28.2° East, 23.5° East, 5° East and 31.5° East.

SES ASTRA is an SES company (Paris:SESG)(LuxX:SESG). SES wholly owns SES ASTRA and SES WORLD SKIES, 90% of SES SIRIUS in Europe, and participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a global fleet of 41 satellites in 26 orbital locations. For further information: www.ses.com.

For more information about TNTSAT, please visit: www.tntsat.tv