ASTRA Secures BBC Deal for Additional Satellite Transponder.

BETZDORF, Luxembourg -- SES ASTRA, an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), is pleased to announce that the BBC has contracted a further transponder, this time on the ASTRA 2A satellite at 28.2 degrees E.

The BBC, which already has six ASTRA transponders on ASTRA 2B and 2D, will use the additional capacity to reconfigure the satellite delivery of its portfolio of TV, radio and interactive services.

Alexander Oudendijk, ASTRA's Chief Commercial Officer and Senior Vice President, said: "The BBC is a broadcasting institution throughout the world, respected and admired for the diversity and quality of its programming. Once again the BBC has decided to expand our business relationship and we believe that this is in no small measure due to our like-minded commitment to quality and service."

The BBC's acting Controller of Distribution Richard Waghorn, said: "The BBC aims to deliver its services across the UK on the platforms where our audiences expect to find them, free-to-air. The new transponder will increase our flexibility to meet our audiences' changing aspirations for the satellite platform. The BBC is pleased to be enhancing its long-standing relationship with ASTRA who can provide world-class technical expertise and experience, as well as proven security and back-up facilities."

About SES ASTRA www.ses-astra.com

The ASTRA Satellite System is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in Europe, delivering services to more than 102 million Direct-to-Home and cable households. The ASTRA satellite fleet currently comprises 12 satellites, transmitting in excess of 1400 analogue and digital television and radio channels as well as multimedia and Internet services. ASTRA's two prime orbital positions for DTH services are 19.2(degrees) East and 28.2(degrees) East. Professional services such as Direct-to cable (DTC), Satellite Newsgathering (SNG) and Occasional Use are offered from the orbital position of 23.5(degrees) East.

SES ASTRA is an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG). SES GLOBAL wholly owns two market-leading satellite operators, SES ASTRA in Europe, and SES AMERICOM in the US. The Company also holds strategic participations in AsiaSat in Asia, Star One and Nahuelsat in Latin America, and NSAB in Europe. SES GLOBAL can provide outstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 38 satellites across the globe.

Additional info on SES GLOBAL at: www.ses-global.com

About the BBC's UK satellite services

The BBC delivers its UK public services via analogue, digital terrestrial, cable and satellite platforms; its public service radio stations are also additionally delivered via DAB digital radio and online. In common with the other platforms, satellite carries the BBC's eight UK public service television channels - BBC ONE in all its regional variants, BBC TWO, BBC THREE, BBC FOUR, NEWS 24, BBC Parliament, the CBBC Channel and CBeebies as well as interactive services and simulcasts of all the BBC network radio services, all free- to-air. In its blueprint for the future, Building Public Value, the BBC has proposed enhancements of the digital services it offers the public and flexibility to meet changing audience needs in the fast developing digital world.