AVN.L Regulatory News (AVN)

2 Aug 2007 07:02

Avanti Communications Group Plc02 August 2007 Date: 2 August 2007On behalf of: Avanti Communications Group plc ("the Company") For immediate release Avanti Communications Group plcCompany Research Avanti Communications Group plc (AIM: AVN), the satellite operator and networkcommunications specialist, has retained the services of Growth Equities andCompany Research (GE & CR) to produce regular research which is designed to helpthe company to communicate its prospects to its retail investor base. The first issue of GE&CR research is now available on Avanti's website at http://www.avanti-communications.com/investors_avanti_news.htm - ends - Enquiries to: Avanti Communications Group plc www.avanti-communications.comDavid Williams 020 7749 1600 Redleaf Communications Ltd www.redleafpr.comEmma Kane/Samantha Robbins/Paul Dulieu 020 7822 0200 ek@redleafpr.com Notes to Editors: - Avanti Communications Group's shares were admitted to AIM on 16 April2007; - Avanti Communications Group is the only licensed fixed satelliteoperator headquartered in the UK (and one of only eight such groups operating inEurope); - In August 2005, Ofcom awarded Avanti the right to provide satelliteservices using radio frequency spectrum which provides coverage of WesternEurope and most of Central and Eastern Europe; - Avanti's first satellite, called HYLAS is under construction and duefor launch in 2009; - Avanti, which has over 10 years' experience in the satellite industry,currently provides satellite data communications services to customers in Europeusing leased satellite capacity which it will transfer to HYLAS on launch; - Its customers include broadband service providers, businesses of allsizes, the British and foreign governments, the European Union and the EuropeanSpace Agency; - The core applications for which Avanti expects HYLAS capacity to beused are broadband, corporate data networks, video distribution and military/security. - Avanti recently signed a debt facility agreement to borrow £32m. Thedebt facility provides sufficient capital for Avanti to complete the financingof its satellite construction, launch, insurance and operation together withworking capital. No further funding is expected to be required for the HYLASproject; - In July 2007, Avanti entered into contracts to acquire the rights touse certain new Ka band frequencies, amounting to some 14 GHz of spectrum, innew orbital positions covering India, The Middle East, Central Asia, Russia,Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America. The Company is preparing plans to usethis spectrum through joint ventures and partnerships This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange