
Photo credit: (Shutterstock)
Press release - 13 January 2021 11:43
EIB supports Eutelsat for the procurement and launch of the KONNECT VHTS satellite Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Download as PDF
Eight-year, 200 million EIB loan focused on the KONNECT VHTS programme, an advanced satellite providing unprecedented capacity for both fixed and mobile broadband services.
The project contributes to boosting high-speed broadband coverage on a pan-European level in line with the Gigabit Society targets of the European Commission.
The European Investment Bank (EIB), the long-term lending institution of the European Union, and Eutelsat, one of the world's leading satellite operators, announced a 200 million financing agreement at the European Space Conference today. This eight-year loan will back investments related to the procurement and launch of the KONNECT VHTS satellite for the provision of advanced broadband services in Europe and neighbouring areas.
KONNECT VHTS is an advanced satellite providing unprecedented upload and download speed capacity for both fixed and mobile broadband services. With a weight of 6.3 tonnes and a Ka-band capacity of 500 Gbps, this next generation satellite will carry the most powerful on-board digital processor ever put into orbit, offering capacity, allocation flexibility, optimal spectrum use, and progressive ground network deployment.It will deliver cost-effective, competitive broadband connectivity allowing notably the provision of ubiquitous and affordable very high-speed fixed broadband access to European households, businesses and public administrations in remote areas that remain beyond the reach of terrestrial infrastructure.
Commenting on the agreement, Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of Eutelsat, said: This long-term financing with the EIB ensures that major players in the space sector like Eutelsat have access to diversified and compelling sources of funding. It is very positive that the European Union has an agenda in support of the space sector that places space connectivity at the centre of its priorities. This commitment also underlines the EU's belief in geostationary satellites as an indispensable complement to the provision of connectivity to unserved or poorly served regions significantly more quickly and cheaply than deploying terrestrial infrastructure in remote areas.
I am very pleased about this agreement with Eutelsat. It is an important step in the launch of a new generation satellite able to deliver accessible, cost-effective and competitive connectivity to all, said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. Space is an important driver of innovation in Europe. This investment illustrates how the EU can support researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs in catalysing the development of advanced technologies to the benefit of end-users, customers, service providers and public authorities.
The transaction follows the EU and EIBs commitment to strengthen their support for European space companies. It is in line with the Gigabit Society targets of the European Commission stating that all households in Europe will have access to at least 100 Mbps internet connectivity by 2025.
Subjects
Electronic business, communication
Innovations, inventions
Network products
Telecommunication, mobile telephony
Telecom
Radio, TV
About Eutelsat Communications
Founded in 1977, Eutelsat Communications is one of the worlds leading satellite operators. With a global fleet of satellites and associated ground infrastructure, Eutelsat enables clients across Video, Data, Government, Fixed and Mobile Broadband markets to communicate effectively to their customers, irrespective of their location. Over 6 600 television channels operated by leading media groups are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat assembles 1,000 men and women from 46 countries who are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service.
Eutelsat Communications is listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL).
For more about Eutelsat go to www.eutelsat.com
About the European Investment Bank
Created by the Treaty of Rome and founded in 1958, the EIB is the European Union's bank, which, together with its dedicated SME support subsidiary the European Investment Fund (EIF), forms the EIB Group. The EIB Group is a key player in reviving Europe's - including France's - economy through investment. Thanks to its reliable expertise and the financial attractiveness of its AAA rating, the EIB Group has strengthened its activities in France since 2012 (reaching 8.5 billion of investment in 2019), not only supporting businesses and innovation but also financing projects in strategic sectors such as climate action, energy, healthcare, housing, education for young people and training infrastructure. The EIB Group is the operator of the Investment Plan for Europe.
To find out more about the EIB: www.eib.org
Press contacts
EIB
Anne-C cile Auguin, a.auguin@eib.org, tel.: 352 43 79 83330, mobile: 352 621 36 19 48
Website: www.eib.org/press - Press Office: 352 4379 21000 - press@eib.org
Media enquiries
Joanna Darlington Tel.: 33 1 53 98 31 07 jdarlington@eutelsat.com
Marie Sophie Ecuer Tel.: 33 1 53 98 32 45 mecuer@eutelsat.com
Jessica Whyte Tel.: 33 1 53 98 46 21 jwhyte@eutelsat.com
Investors
Joanna Darlington Tel.: 33 1 53 98 31 07 jdarlington@eutelsat.com
C dric Pugni Tel.: 33 1 53 98 31 54 cpugni@eutelsat.com
Alexandre Illouz Tel.: 33 1 53 98 46 81 aillouz@eutelsat.com
Follow us at:
Read more
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
TV, BritBox and Mammoth Screen have announced that filming is now underway on th...
20/08/2026
New York August 19, 2026 Nielsen today shared a number of key enhancements t...
20/08/2026
New Gracenote Data Hub analysis finds sports program titles up 31.2% and individ...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
At IBC, Profuz Digital will showcase at stand 8.A88 the SubtitleNEXT platform delivering innovative AI transcription integrations and stunning new features boos...
20/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Transformation Church, one of the fastest-growing and most influential digital ministries in the United States, has d...
20/08/2026
QuickLink Showcases New 4K Capabilities Across StudioEdge and StudioCall at IBC ...
20/08/2026
The Boys Season Five Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton August 20, 2026
0 Comments
Colorist Siggy Ferstl uses Depth Map to bring a three ...
20/08/2026
Adobe Firefly expands its creative AI studio: generate music, speech, and sound ...
20/08/2026
Multiview available via SaaS for streaming platforms and operators through broadpeak.io, with live demonstrations at IBC2026
Broadpeak , a leader in streaming ...
20/08/2026
Techex, a leading provider of live broadcast infrastructure solutions, has appointed Stuart Almond as Chief Revenue Officer, further strengthening its executive...
20/08/2026
Avid today announced that MediaCity Studios has upgraded its production infrastructure with an enhanced end-to-end Avid production ecosystem, including the dep...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
20/08/2026
Wuppertal August 20, 2026
Transformation Church Elevates Production Communicat...
20/08/2026
The music between the notes Coming together In the middle of 2026, as conversations around artificial intelligence continue to raise questions about how musi...
20/08/2026
Arvato Systems Brings Together Digital Transformation Leaders in the Manufacturi...
20/08/2026
It's a new way into the cloud.
GeForce NOW welcomes Firefox support to the cloud, opening up another way to jump into high-performance PC gaming straight ...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...