(EMAILWIRE.COM, June 04, 2004 ) Betzdorf/Madrid -- Ya.com Internet Factory, owned by T-Online International AG (subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom) and SES ASTRA, an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris, Luxembourg and Frankfurt stock exchanges: SESG) have signed a collaboration agreement to launch, for the first time in Spain, “Yacom Satélite”, the new broadband Internet access services through satellite, targeted at over five million Spanish people who do not have access to ADSL. ASTRA provides the technology that is able to close the digital gap in Spain.

“Yacom Satélite” provides broadband access to the Internet with speeds of between 256 kbps and 768 kbps depending on the offer chosen, and a return channel through the switched telephone network. The service also includes 10 e-mail accounts of 50 MB; 1 e-mail account of 100 MB, an anti-virus and anti-spam service and 50 MB of space for personal/commercial pages, in the pack called “Banda Ancha Sat Home 24 h” (Broadband Sat Home 24 hr). The service also offers 120 free-to-air television channels from ASTRA on computer screens. Yacom Satélite is currently undergoing pilot testing and the commercial launch to the residential and business market is planned for next quarter.

One of the attractive differentiating factors of this service is the price, which will be less than 17 euros a month for the “Banda Ancha Sat Home” (Broadband Sat Home) package, slightly less than the current prices for this type of services, and also less than the current basic ADSL fee. Also, this service is independent from the flat rate provider or free access provider of clients (it is not necessary to change e-mail accounts, etc.)

The service is distributed through ASTRA, satellite direct-to-home leader in both Spain and Europe. In Spain, 10% of homes receive ASTRA digital TV, with a penetration figure reaching 1.34 million. Also, another 3 million homes with a communal antenna receive ASTRA, which simplifies the installation of the new service.

According to Guillermo Mercader, Chief Executive Officer of Ya.com, “The launching of “Yacom Satélite” is another step forward for Ya.com, making broadband Internet accessible to everyone at an affordable price and helping to close the digital gap in Spain, for which innovative solutions must be offered to the market”. According to the State Secretariat for Telecommunications, 21% of the Spanish population (slightly more than five million people) are now living in 6,414 municipalities without access to ADSL service.”

Albert Martí, managing director of ASTRA Marketing Ibérica, believes “Ya.com has once again shown that it is a pioneer in the Spanish market of Internet access services, launching Yacom Satélite, which represents the first commitment in Spain to provide the wide public without ADSL or cable, with ubiquitous access to broadband. Yacom have chosen SES ASTRA because of its wide experience in several European markets and its advanced technology.”

Satellite Internet access services are also a useful tool for all rural companies and institutions that need high-speed solutions to be able to compete and be present on the net. Local councils, rural tourism businesses, agricultural cooperatives will have a solution similar to ADSL service with regard to features and cost.

With the launch of this new satellite pack, Ya.com completes its range of universal broadband Internet access services, with a clear stance in technology through WiFi and satellite solutions.



About Ya.com Internet Factory
Ya.com Internet Factory (www.corp.ya.com) is part of T-Online International (subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom), one of the largest Internet service providers in Europe. Created in June 1999, it activities focus on the development of home Internet access products, online advertising, electronic commerce, together with connectivity services and web hosting for companies. In Spain, apart from its main portal Ya.com (www.ya.com), the Ya.com portal network has over 20 contents, service and electronic commercial web sites such as MixMail.com, InforChat.com, Viajar.com, Supermotor.com, TiendaPC.com, Discoweb.com, OfertaDVD.com, Chueca.com, Finanzas.com and YaTV.com.

About SES ASTRA www.ses-astra.com
The ASTRA Satellite System is Europe’s leading Direct-to-Home satellite system, delivering services to more than 94 million Direct-to-Home and cable households. The ASTRA satellite fleet currently comprises 13 satellites, transmitting in excess of 1100 analogue and digital television and radio channels as well as multimedia and Internet services. ASTRA’s two prime orbital positions for DTH (Direct-To-Home) services are 19.2° East and 28.2° East. Professional services like Direct-to cable (DTC), Satellite Newsgathering (SNG) and Occasional Use are offered from the orbital positions of 23.5°/24.2° East and 5.2° East.

SES ASTRA is an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris, Luxembourg and Frankfurt stock exchanges: 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. Via its WORLDSAT subsidiary it provides unparalleled connections to the premier regional satellite fleets of these SES GLOBAL partners. Americom Government Services provides network solutions and bandwidth to the US government and its contractors. SES GLOBAL can provide outstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 40 satellites across the globe. In addition, SES GLOBAL is a shareholder in ORBCOMM, a provider of wireless data communications services through a low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite network, and in satellite technology companies Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. and ND Satcom. Last but not least, SES GLOBAL is a founding shareholder in SATLYNX, a Luxembourg based joint venture with Gilat and Alcatel Space, which has created an unrivalled portfolio of reliable and cost-efficient two-way satellite broadband service solutions to Enterprises/Corporates, consumers and small office/home office (SOHO) users all over Europe. Additional info on SES GLOBAL at: www.ses-global.com



For further information please contact:
Ya.com
Beatriz Valverde
Tel. 34 911 417 938
Beatriz.valverde@corp.ya.com

Yves Feltes
Press Relations SES ASTRA
Tel 352 710 725 311
Yves.Feltes@ses-astra.com
www.ses-astra.com

Contact Information:
SES ASTRA
Joseph Nchor
Tel:
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