AVN.L Regulatory News (AVN)

10 Dec 2008 10:15



Date: 10 December 2008

On behalf of: Avanti Communications Group Plc ("Avanti" or "the Company")

Immediate release

Avanti Communications Group plc

Director Shareholding

Avanti Communications Group Plc (AIM: AVN), the Broadband satellite operator, was today notified by Ian Taylor MP that he had purchased 415 ordinary shares in the Company at a price of 161.85p per sharethrough his SIPP. In addition the Company was notified that Carole Taylor, wife of Ian Taylor MP had purchased through her SIPP 3,000 ordinary shares in the Company at a price of 161.85p per share. Ian Taylor MP now holds a total direct and indirect voting right interest in 6,300 ordinary shares in the company, being approximately 0.02% of the issued ordinary share capital of Avanti CommunicationsGroup Plc.

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Notes to Editors:

About Avanti

Avanti Communications Group plc is the only licensed Fixed Satellite Services operator headquartered in the UK (and one of only eight such groups operating in Europe);

Avanti sell satellite broadband services to wholesale customers targeting consumer, enterprise and institutional markets.

Avanti's first satellite, called Hylas is under construction and due for launch in 2009; the company plans further satellite projects

Avanti, which has more than 10 years' experience in the satellite industry, currently provides satellite broadband services to customers in Europe using leased satellite capacity which it will transfer to Hylas on launch

No further funding is required for the Hylas project following successful completion of a long term debt facility in July 2007.

The European Commission has set aside funding for rural broadband projects in 79 regions across Europe with a total value of €1.8 billion over the next five years