10-9-2007 Broadband Across America: Through Wal-Mart, Hughes Brings High-Speed Internet to Rural Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Broadband Across America: Through Wal-Mart, Hughes Brings High-Speed Internet to Rural Communities

Wal-Mart to Carry HughesNet Broadband Service in 2,800 Stores

Germantown, Md., October 9, 2007—Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) today announced that consumers across North America will be able to purchase HughesNet^®, the leading satellite broadband Internet access service, from Wal-Mart, giving customers in rural areas the opportunity to experience the benefits of high-speed Internet access. The HughesNet service will be sold in 2,800 Wal-Mart stores across the U.S., including locations throughout most of rural America where terrestrial broadband services, such as cable and DSL, are often not available.

With HughesNet, consumers in any region in the continental U.S. need only a view of the southern sky to have access to high-speed Internet. And with millions of Americans shopping at Wal-Mart each week, being able to purchase HughesNet at the stores makes broadband more accessible in many more areas across the country than ever before.

“Wal-Mart is perhaps the only retail store in the country that reaches as many people as HughesNet,” said Mike Cook, senior vice president, North America Division, Hughes. “This relationship is a powerful way to make broadband a reality for the millions of Americans and small business owners who cannot get high-speed Internet access from cable or DSL providers. Through Wal-Mart, we are able to offer more Americans the opportunity to experience the convenience and benefits of high-speed Internet in business and every day life.”

Every Wal-Mart customer who purchases the HughesNet service will receive an “ExpressPay” card for $100.00 to buy anything at Wal-Mart from groceries, toys, or automotive services, at the customer's discretion. HughesNet plans offer download speeds ranging from 700Kbps to 2.0Mbps with pricing starting as low as $59.99. Customers can find HughesNet service available for purchase in the Wal-Mart Connect Center in Electronics. In a majority of stores, it will also be available through the “Digital Connection Kiosk,” or Wal-Mart customers can take home the HughesNet literature and contact the Wal-Mart Call Center to be connected with a Hughes installation specialist.

With more than 350,000 subscribers, HughesNet is the leading, two-way broadband satellite Internet service in the United States . For more information about HughesNet services, please visit www.hughesnet.com or call 1-866-556-9660.

About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) is the global leader in providing broadband satellite networks and services for large enterprises, governments, small businesses, and consumers. HughesNet encompasses all broadband solutions and managed services from Hughes, bridging the best of satellite and terrestrial technologies. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 1.2 million systems to customers in over 100 countries. Its broadband satellite products are based on the IPoS (IP over Satellite) global standard, approved by the TIA, ETSI, and ITU standards organizations.

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes maintains sales and support offices worldwide. Hughes is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hughes Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: HUGH). For additional information, please visit www.hughes.com .