The Eutelsat W-series telecommunications and television satellites serve communication needs between Europe, the Mediterranean basin and Central Asia. One satellite serves Russia and Africa. The W series satellites provide direct-to-home television, cable headend delivery, terrestrial rebroadcast, satellite newsgathering, contribution services and special events, Internet backbone and distribution, multimedia services, VSAT networks, DAMA and TDMA services and EUTELTRACS mobile services. The initial W series satellites are equipped with a mixture of wideband and narrowband transponders.

Eutelsat signed a contract for 3 firm orders and 4 options with Alcatel Space, in July 1995, for Spacebus 3000B2 models. The first of those options was exercised in November 1997. The Eutelsat W1 satellite was damaged in a fire at the Alcatel Space Cannes factory in May 1998. 

Other contractors, in addition to Alcatel Space, involved in the W satellite series include: Space Systems/Loral and Eagle-Picher in the United States, Alenia in Italy, Dornier Satelliten Systeme in Germany and Saab Ericsson Space in Sweden.