Hughes Receives SATCOM-II Contract Award

Company to Provide Advanced Broadband Satellite Solutions to Government Agencies

Germantown, Maryland, May 3, 2007—Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite network solutions and services, today announced that it has been awarded a contract under the recently announced General Services Administration's (GSA) Satellite Services-II (SATCOM-II) program. SATCOM-II is a multiple award, Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract under which Hughes will participate in providing its commercially available, advanced broadband satellite network solutions to U.S. government agencies. The entire SATCOM-II program is estimated to be worth $750 million over five years, according to Federal Sources, Inc., a leading federal IT market research firm, headquartered in McLean, Va.

The SATCOM-II vehicle enables all U.S. federal civilian and Department of Defense (DoD) agencies to procure an expanded range of broadband satellite solutions, including the following offerings provided by Hughes and its team members:

• Broadband primary, high availability and back-up networks (VSATs)
• Satellite capacity
• Point-to-point and mesh connections (SCPC)
• Transportable services
• Mobile satellite voice and data services
• Broadcast satellite services
• Managed network services
• Applications solutions (e.g., distance learning, streaming video, telemedicine, and Continuity of Operations (COOP))

The Hughes SATCOM-II team includes AEP Networks, C-COM, CACI, Eutelsat America, GlobalSat LLC, Helius, IMC, Intelsat, Mobile Satellite Ventures, MotoSAT, SES Americom, Thuraya, XTAR LLC, and others.

“The SATCOM-II contract will fundamentally change the way federal agencies use satellite technologies,” said Tony Bardo, assistant vice president of government solutions at Hughes. “Many agencies continue to struggle with older dial-up networks that do not support high-speed data, video, or other modern broadband applications that require greater bandwidth. SATCOM-II will yield substantial benefits to agencies for requirements such as network diversity and telework, as well as deliver managed broadband networking to remote locations. Hughes is excited to begin work on the SATCOM-II contract. With a proud history of service to federal, state, and local governments, we are committed to ensuring this contract is a success.”

Satellite-based COOP solutions offer government a true alternate path, redundant networking option that ensures that federal facilities, telecommuters, and mobile employees can continue working even if an agency's primary terrestrial network fails.