Eutelsat to dispose of its European retail broadband distribution activities

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) has reached an agreement to sell its European broadband retail activities to an experienced private operator. The activities to be disposed of by Eutelsat include the affiliate Bigblu Operations Ltd and the other European retail activities in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, and Greece.

The disposal comes in the wake of the considerable success of Eutelsat’s wholesale go-to-market model to distribute its satellite broadband capacity over Europe, underpinned by major wholesale deals signed with Orange (France), TIM (Italy), Hispasat (Spain) and Swisscom (Switzerland) for the capacity in their respective markets on the Eutelsat KONNECT satellite. The private operator will also become a wholesale distributor in existing markets.

This strategy will be further bolstered by the entry into service of KONNECT VHTS expected in the second half of 2023, with 230 beams over Europe and MENA, representing a Ka capacity of 500 Gbps, adaptable according to demand and specific needs in each country. Firm commitments have already been secured for part of this incremental capacity by important European telecom operators, (e.g., Orange, TIM or Swisscom), confirming the ability of KONNECT VHTS to provide a compelling and competitive solution for broadband to under-served regions of Europe.