SES AMERICOM to Provide Satellite Capacity to EchoStar



March 26, 2003 – Princeton, NJ -- SES AMERICOM, Inc., an SES GLOBAL Company (Luxembourg and Frankfurt Stock Exchange: SESG) and U.S.-based satellite operator, announced today a multi-year service agreement to provide satellite capacity to EchoStar Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH) on AMERICOM’s AMC-15 satellite, a new satellite currently under construction. EchoStar plans to utilize this capacity to seek ways to offer a combination of satellite TV programming bundled with satellite-delivered, high-speed Internet services. 

AMC-15 is a Ku/Ka-band hybrid satellite being built for AMERICOM by Lockheed Martin and is based on the highly reliable A2100 spacecraft platform. AMC-15 is planned for launch to the in-orbit location of 105 degrees West Longitude in the third quarter of 2004. When fully operational, the satellite will feature 24 – 36 MHz Ku-band transponders, 12 – 125 MHz Ka-band spot beams and the highest levels of redundancy on core components such as amplifiers, receivers, commanding beam and computer control systems. Until AMC-15 becomes operational, EchoStar plans to begin testing using interim capacity from AMERICOM.

Dean Olmstead, president and CEO of SES AMERICOM, said, “EchoStar will be an excellent customer as they are an industry-leading pay TV service that continually seeks innovations that would enhance the consumer experience. This long-term agreement exemplifies our development of AMERICOM2Home(SM) as a wholesale platform to maximize the range of entertainment and information services available to the American home.” He continued, “We’re expanding the direct-to-home neighborhood in the U.S. by replicating the successful model established by our sister company, SES ASTRA, in Europe.” 

Further terms of the agreement were not disclosed. 


About EchoStar

EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), through its DISH Network™, is a leading U.S. provider of satellite television entertainment services to homes and businesses with more than 8.18 million customers. DISH Network delivers advanced digital satellite television services, including hundreds of video, audio and interactive TV channels, personal video recording, HDTV, sports and international programming, professional installation and 24-hour customer service. Visit EchoStar's DISH Network at www.dishnetwork.com.


About SES AMERICOM

With 30 years’ experience, SES AMERICOM, Inc. is recognized as a pioneer and leading provider of global satellite communications services currently operating 15 spacecraft in orbital positions providing service throughout the Americas, across Europe, over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and throughout Asia. As a member of the SES GLOBAL family, AMERICOM is able to provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region in the world. In April 2002, SES AMERICOM announced plans to develop a multi-satellite, multi-frequency, direct-to-home satellite platform. Called AMERICOM2Home(SM), the wholesale DTH platform will facilitate the delivery of bundled video and broadband services from 105 and 85 degrees West. 
Through its two operating companies, AMERICOM and ASTRA, SES GLOBAL has a fleet of 28 satellites and can deliver broadband satellite services to more than 90% of the world's population. In addition, SES GLOBAL’s strategic partnerships and participations in AsiaSat, NSAB, Star One, AMERICOM Asia-Pacific and Nahuelsat combine to give entertainment, telecommunications, Internet, news and enterprise customers access to a fleet of 41 satellites.

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CONTACT: 

SES AMERICOM, Inc. - Monica Morgan, +1-609-987-4143
[email protected]

EchoStar – Marc Lumpkin, +1-303-723-2020, 
[email protected]