GE Americom Closes Acquisition of Columbia Communications
New Satellites Under Construction for Atlantic and Pacific Regions
September 13, 2000 - Princeton, NJ
GE American Communications, Inc. (GE Americom), a GE Capital company, announced today that it has closed its acquisition of Columbia Communications Corporation (Columbia). The acquisition adds transoceanic capacity to GE Americom's international fleet, globally connecting its satellites to deliver service in the Americas, Europe, and, with the soon-to-be-launched GE-1A, Asia. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
GE Americom also announced that Alcatel Space is building four satellites, currently designated as GE-1i ,GE-2i, GE-3i and GE-4i, to replace and expand the Columbia spacecraft fleet. GE Americom's capacity expansion over the Atlantic will support Internet backbone access and other services and the growth and connectivity requirements of its large media customers. Service will focus on traffic between North America and South America, Europe and South America, North America and Africa, and Europe and Africa. The expansion over the Pacific will serve growing demand for US-based programming throughout the Pacific Rim and the need to transport Internet content into, within and out of the region.
John F. Connelly, GE Americom's Chairman and CEO stated, "The closing with Columbia marks another milestone in our growth as a premier provider of worldwide satellite services. Americom and Alcatel are constructing state-of-the-art spacecraft for future operations in the Columbia orbital positions. We are committed to providing the highest quality of service that Americom customers have come to expect, whether we are supporting them in one region or globally."
Columbia's three operating satellites carry television and news programming, data, Internet services and telephony services among the African, Asian, European, North and South American continents.
With over twenty-five years' experience, GE American Communications, Inc. is recognized as a pioneer and a leading provider of global satellite communications solutions. With the integration of the Columbia's transoceanic satellite capacity into GE Americom's global fleet, GE Americom will be able to provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region in the world. GE Americom currently operates twelve satellites providing services to North America. In addition, GE-1E provides service for European and Middle Eastern markets. Through GE-4 and Nahuelsat, S.A., an Argentine satellite operator, GE Americom provides satellite-based communications services throughout South and Latin America. And with the launch of GE-1A, scheduled for October 2000, GE Americom will be able to deliver services into China, India and the large population centers of Northeast Asia. GE Americom's key customers include ABC Radio Networks, AT&T Alascom, British Telecom, Cidera, Deutsche Welle, Discovery, Disney, Gannett, ICG, Merlin, NBC, the New York Times, NHK, PaxNet, PBS, TELE Greenland, TV Europa, Viacom and TimeWarner/Turner Broadcasting.
GE Capital, with assets of more than US$345 billion, is a global, diversified financial services company with 28 specialized businesses. A wholly-owned subsidiary of General Electric Company, GE Capital, based in Stamford, CT, provides equipment management, mid-market and specialized financing, specialty insurance and a variety of consumer services, such as car leasing, home mortgages and credit cards, to businesses and individuals around the world. GE is a diversified services, technology and manufacturing company with operations worldwide.
Contact: Monica Morgan
609-987-4143
|
