[September 27, 2004] Industry Canada Selects Ciel and Strengthens Competitive Marketplace for Canadian Satellite Users OTTAWA, Ontario --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 27, 2004 -- Ciel Satellite Group Receives Provisional Authority to Operate at 129 Degrees West Ciel Satellite Group, a new Canadian owned and controlled communications satellite venture, has received provisional authority from Industry Canada to operate a broadcast satellite (BSS) at 129 degrees West orbital location. Founded earlier this year by a strong combination of partners, Barrett Corporation, Smyth Satellite Holdings Inc., Borealis Infrastructure and SES AMERICOM Inc., Ciel expects to begin satellite operations before August 2005. Ciel is led by Canadian satellite industry veteran Kevin Smyth and an executive management team that brings more than 60 years of industry leading experience to their respective roles. With this team in place, Ciel plans to develop an independent Canadian fleet of satellites. As it builds its business, Ciel intends to contribute significantly to Canadian telecommunications infrastructure. Ciel will offer wholesale satellite capacity to broadcasters, direct-to-home programmers, VSAT and enterprise networks, educational and distance learning networks, as well as cultural and community organizations seeking broadband connections. Ciel will bring the advantages of competition to the Canadian market while creating industrial benefits, and expanding Canada's role in the global satellite industry. "This announcement is a positive for Canadian industry players who will soon benefit from the strengthened competitive environment that Industry Canada has developed," said Kevin Smyth, CEO of Ciel. "We are grateful to Industry Canada for the authority to operate a BSS satellite from 129 degrees West. We believe the time is right to license a second Canadian satellite operator and we will work hard to merit the award of future licences." "Industry Canada's process was efficient and responsive. We are committed to covering all regions of Canada, making bandwidth broadly available to potential users, and working with Canadian industry and Industry Canada," said Gerry Wall, Ciel's Vice President of Government Affairs. With an experienced and expert team of partners, Ciel is poised to become a Canadian high technology force with the resources to succeed: Ciel is led by satellite experts from Barrett Corporation and Smyth Satellite Holdings, two Canadian organizations with extensive experience in the domestic and international satellite industry. Ciel has aligned itself with Europe-based SES GLOBAL, one of the world's largest and financially stable satellite companies with over 40 spacecraft in operation. Participation in Ciel is supported by SES AMERICOM, a wholly owned subsidiary of SES GLOBAL, with more than 30 years experience, SES AMERICOM is recognized worldwide as a leading provider of satellite capacity. Ciel's financial partner is Borealis Infrastructure, Canada's leading manager of infrastructure investments. Borealis is an Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) corporation. OMERS manages pension fund assets valued at $34 billion. About Ciel Satellite Group Barrett Corporation is a privately held international management company, based in Woodstock, New Brunswick. Its Barrett Xplore subsidiary provides Broadband Internet Services throughout Canada under the Xplornet Brand. Xplornet provides Broadband Internet services and value-added ISP services via Wireless and Satellite high-speed connectivity. Barrett Xplore was also instrumental in the success of Star Choice satellite television, having been the national marketing and distribution partner for the service from launch. Barrett Xplore, Barrett Marketing Group and Dixie Sales, provide sales, marketing, logistical and distribution support for several other well-known brands in the consumer electronics, recreational, clothing and outdoor power equipment industries throughout North America. Borealis Infrastructure identifies, invests in and manages infrastructure assets that provide institutional investors with competitive and stable rates of return over a long investment horizon. Borealis Infrastructure is an OMERS corporation. With approximately $34.0 billion in net investment assets, OMERS is one of Canada's largest pension funds. SES GLOBAL (Euronext Paris, Luxembourg and Frankfurt stock exchanges: SESG) 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 plus 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. SES GLOBAL is also 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, small office/home office (SOHO) and local communities all over Europe. Additional info on SES GLOBAL at: www.ses-global.com The Ottawa-based Smyth Satellite Holdings is a Canadian company established by Kevin Smyth and Gerry Wall, Ph.D. The two principals of the firm combine to provide comprehensive expertise in the areas of satellite operations, sales and marketing, business planning, regulatory and policy matters and familiarity with Canadian telecommunications and broadcasting industries. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]