Xplornet and Hughes Announce Agreement for EchoStar XXIV Satellite Capacity to Deliver High-Speed Broadband to Rural Canada 

Xplornet to invest more than $250 million, plans to offer satellite Internet service to rural Canadians at download speeds of 100 Mbps

Germantown, MD, April 22, 2019 – Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services, today announced that Xplornet Communications Inc., Canada’s leading rural broadband provider, has agreed to a lifetime capacity agreement on the next-generation JUPITER™ 3 Ultra High Density Satellite (UHDS), designated EchoStar XXIV. In a contract valued at more than $250 million over 15 years, the agreement is for approximately 50 Gbps of Ka-band capacity reaching more than 90% of the population of Canada, along with system gateway and consumer premise equipment and operational and support services. Currently under construction, Echostar XXIV is expected to launch in 2021 and bring more than 500 Gbps of capacity across the Americas.

“This agreement marks another milestone in our longstanding relationship with Hughes,” said Allison Lenehan, CEO of Xplornet. “JUPITER 3 is expected to provide the highest speed satellite Internet service in Canada, with download speeds of 100 Mbps, answering our customers’ need for fast and reliable broadband to connect them to what matters.”

“For more than a decade, Xplornet has teamed with Hughes for satellite capacity and equipment to help them bring the benefits of broadband to Canadians,” said Paul Gaske, executive vice president and general manager, North America at Hughes. “We are excited to continue our successful partnership as we launch our next-generation JUPITER 3 Ultra High Density Satellite, and look forward to supporting Xplornet in delivering essential, high-speed broadband to Canadians for years to come.”

Powered by the latest JUPITER System technology, EchoStar XXIV will enable the continued growth of high-speed services for applications including consumer, enterprise, aeronautical, cellular backhaul and community Wi-Fi, bridging the digital divide and helping businesses and communities to thrive. The satellite is expected to deliver broadband services for 15 years and will join the largest fleet of High Throughput Satellites (HTS) across the Americas, all utilizing JUPITER System technology, including EchoStar XVII, EchoStar XIX, Hughes 65 West and Hughes 63 West.

Hughes at SATELLITE 2019: Connecting People, Enterprises and Things
Hughes will exhibit at SATELLITE 2019 May 6-9 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., showcasing how consumers, businesses, governments and communities around the world benefit from the connected experiences enabled by Hughes technologies and services, today…and tomorrow. See Hughes executives at SATELLITE 2019 for unique perspective on connecting people, enterprises and things – including GEO HTS and LEO systems; community Wi-Fi and cellular backhaul solutions; M2M, AI and IoT networks; aero and maritime connectivity; MilSatCom and more.