Hughes Becomes First Satellite Internet Provider to Surpass One Million Active Users

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GERMANTOWN, Md., Sept. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite solutions and services, today announced it has become the first company to exceed one million active users in North America for satellite Internet connectivity. This total includes all Hughes retail and wholesale subscribers and additional users receiving services through third-party service operators with capacity arrangements.

Hughes, the company that invented satellite Internet, has seen strong demand for high-performance connectivity in residential and commercial markets across North America—through  its HughesNet^® service and through partners—reaching customers in areas unserved or underserved by terrestrial broadband. Surpassing one million active users makes Hughes by far the largest provider of satellite Internet connectivity in the world.

"Hughes and its partners are attracting thousands of new subscribers each month as more and more people realize they don't have to choose between living where they want and staying connected with high-speed Internet access," said Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes. "Today just about anyone in North America can enjoy the many entertainment, business and educational benefits that come with high-quality broadband connectivity."

Today's announcement is the latest in a series of "firsts" for Hughes, the company that invented VSAT technology in the mid-80s and launched the satellite networking industry. Since first introducing satellite Internet service to consumers in the late 1990s, Hughes has continued to lead the market. Its fourth generation satellite broadband service, HughesNet Gen4, employs the latest technologies to deliver a high-quality broadband service for homes and businesses.

The Hughes delivery system is built on a network of high-capacity satellites, ground technology, and in-home devices, all tightly integrated for continuous, reliable service. The satellite network consists of high-performance Ka-band satellites—the cornerstone being the recently launched EchoStar^® XVII satellite with JUPITER^™ high-throughput technology.

About Hughes Network Systems

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) is the world's leading provider of satellite broadband for home and office, delivering innovative network technologies, managed services, and solutions for enterprises and governments globally. HughesNet is the #1 high-speed satellite Internet service in the marketplace, with offerings to suit every budget. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 4 million systems to customers in over 100 countries, representing approximately 50 percent market share. Its products employ global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI, and ITU organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A, and GMR-1.

Headquartered outside Washington, DC, 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 and digital TV solutions. For additional information about Hughes, please visit www.hughes.com.

©2014 Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar company. Hughes, HughesNet, and JUPITER are trademarks of Hughes Network Systems, LLC. EchoStar is a registered trademark of EchoStar Corporation.

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SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC