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

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Hughes Network Systems, LLC

Apr 22, 2019, 08:15 ET

GERMANTOWN, Md., April 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 percent 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. For further information, please visit www.hughes.com/sat19

About Xplornet Communications Inc.
Headquartered in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Xplornet Communications Inc. is one of Canada's leading broadband service providers. For over a decade, Xplornet has been providing innovative broadband solutions to rural customers at work, home and play across Canada. Today, Xplornet offers voice and data communication services through its unique wireless and satellite network that connects Canadians to what matters.

About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) is the global leader in broadband satellite technology and services for home and office. Its flagship high-speed satellite Internet service is HughesNet®, the world's largest satellite network with over 1.3 million residential and business customers across North and South America. For large enterprises and governments, the company's HughesON™ managed network services provide complete connectivity solutions employing an optimized mix of satellite and terrestrial technologies. The JUPITER™ System is the world's most widely deployed High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) platform, operating on more than 20 satellites by leading service providers, delivering a wide range of broadband enterprise, mobility and cellular backhaul applications. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 7 million terminals of all types to customers in over 100 countries, representing approximately 50 percent market share, and its technology is powering broadband services to aircraft around the world.

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations. For additional information about Hughes, please visit www.hughes.com and follow @HughesConnects on Twitter.

About EchoStar
EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in secure communications technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit www.echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.

SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC