Hughes Chairman and CEO Honored by Via Satellite Magazine

For more than two decades, Via Satellite magazine has annually selected the satellite executive who made a lasting business impact on the global satellite industry during the previous year. In honoring Hughes chairman and CEO Pradman Kaul as its 2008 “Satellite Executive of the Year,” Via Satellite cited anticipating the evolution of the satellite market and maintaining Hughes technology and market leadership as two key accomplishments.

Indeed, 2008 was a year of many achievements for Hughes, including the commercial launch of service over the SPACEWAY^® 3 broadband satellite system and posting a strong series of wins globally, while surpassing 400,000 subscribers on HughesNet® broadband Internet service in North America. In recognition, Jason Bates, editor of Via Satellite, commented, “Thanks to Kaul’s leadership and the acumen of his experienced management team, we are looking forward to what will be accomplished by Hughes in 2009 and beyond.”