21 July, 2004: Satellite operator Eutelsat has been selected by NetHope as a supplier for 2-way satellite broadband connectivity for aid organisations in over 100 locations in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. NetHope is a collaborative organisation formed by the world's largest humanitarian aid organisations that provides IT equipment and solutions in countries where its members execute their programmes and projects.

Skylogic, a 100% broadband affiliate of Eutelsat, based in Turin (Italy) will coordinate logistics, installations, operations, after-sales service, and QoS management for NetHope's participating member sites in more than 40 countries, from Paraguay to Nepal. From its headquarters, Skylogic will provide a turnkey broadband access solution to NetHope members through the extensive coverage it can supply through Eutelsat's fleet of satellites. The network will use capacity on four satellites and coincides with the commercial entry into service of the African beam on Eutelsat's recently launched W3A satellite, which is operated through a new IP hub located at Skylogic's Turin premises.

NetHope's member organisations will also benefit from commercial conditions pre-negotiated with Eutelsat/Skylogic, for broadband 2-way access deployment, as well as project management for the entire rollout and maintenance of their sites for a term of three years.

Commenting on the agreement, Giuliano Berretta, Eutelsat CEO and president of Skylogic said: "Through this ground-breaking contract with NetHope, which necessitates the deployment of a uniform 2-way broadband access solution across four continents, Eutelsat is validating its objective to build one of the world's largest and most efficient satellite IP infrastructures at its Skylogic affiliate. NetHope members will be able to benefit from true one-stop-shop broadband access with no restrictions due to geography or distance from terrestrial communications. We welcome NetHope to our family of clients."

Dipak Basu, executive director, NetHope commented: "Through this agreement we will establish the concept of a 'NetHope Store' with Eutelsat and Skylogic, where our members can avail themselves of pre-negotiated rates for a 2-way broadband equipment and services, regardless of where their sites are located. We believe demand for broadband Internet will grow strongly among our membership as information and communication technologies become entrenched in their humanitarian work in developing countries. We are extremely pleased to count Eutelsat as a strategic partner in this important venture."

"This agreement means more to Save the Children than just improving communications with our staff in some of the remotest areas of the world," said Save the Children's chief technology officer, Edward Granger-Happ." It also means we are one step closer to creating real and lasting change for many children who now live in communities with little or no access to modern communications technologies."