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Alcatel Alenia Space to build & deliver in-orbit Turksat 3A telecommunication satellite for Turksat

23 February 2006

Alcatel Alenia Space announced today that it has signed a turnkey contract with Turkish operator Turksat AS, for the construction and the in-orbit delivery of a new powerful telecommunication satellite, Turksat 3A. Alcatel Alenia Space has been Turksat's sole satellite provider with five satellites* awarded in more than 10 years.

The Turksat 3A satellite will enable Turksat to offer telecommunication services as well as direct TV broadcasting over Europe, Turkey and Central Asia. Turksat 3A Turkey coverage has been specially designed to provide very efficient gain for broadband applications like VSAT. In this context, customers offering services over Turksat satellites are serviced more effectively, with low-cost up-link systems. Turksat 3A coverage also meets the demand for customers who may prefer different coverage areas such as links between Europe and Central Asia.

As prime contractor, Alcatel Alenia Space will be in charge of the satellite design, construction and test activities, all the way through in-orbit delivery, along with modernization of the ground segment. In connection with the Turksat 3A procurement program, Alcatel Alenia Space will also provide training for Turksat's personnel.

Based on Alcatel Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B2, Turksat 3A will be fitted with 24 Ku-band transponders and will offer beginning of life power of about 8kW. Positioned at 42°E, Turksat 3A is due to start services at the beginning of 2008, replacing Turksat 1C.

Turksat 3A is the tenth Alcatel Alenia Space Spacebus 4000** satellite ordered, among which four*** have been successfully launched and delivered in orbit.

* Turksat 1A, 1B, 1C and 2A (Eurasiasat)
** Under construction: Chinasat 9, Chinasat 6B, Rascomstar-Qaf, Koreasat 5 and Syracuse 3B
*** Already launched: AMC-12, Apstar VI, Syracuse 3A and AMC-23

About Turksat A.S
Turksat Satellite Communication and Cable TV Operation AS, is the satellite operator company of Turkey. Turksat AS aims to pave the way for the Turkish telecommunication industry in providing a variety of innovative and value added satellite services to its customers from the Far Western Europe to the heartland of Central Asia, Turkey and Middle East. Besides high quality digital broadcasting services, Turksat AS also offers a great deal of flexible satellite solutions by providing its customers with cable and wireless broadcasting, high-speed Internet services and direct to home broadcasting services. Through Turksat satellites; Turksat 1C and Turksat 2A (Eurasiasat 1), Turksat AS provides digital and analogue TV services, digital broadcasting bouquets, cable TV, cable internet, VoIP, satellite news gathering services, radio broadcasting, rural telephony, intranet, extranet, data, multimedia, VSAT services and GSM backhaul services. http://www.turksat.com.tr/

About Alcatel Alenia Space
Alcatel Alenia Space is the European leader in satellite systems, at the forefront of orbit infrastructures. Created in July 2005, the company brings together the vast experience and know-how of Alcatel Space and Alenia Spazio to form a new leading force in European space technology. Alcatel Alenia Space represents a worldwide standard for space development that impacts everybody's future: from navigation to telecommunications, from meteorology to environmental monitoring, from defense to science and observation. Alcatel Alenia Space is an Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) (67%) and Finmeccanica (Milan:SIFI.MI, FNC.IM) (33%) company.