Hughes Network Systems Named #1 in Global VSAT Satellite Market by 2001 Comsys Report

    GERMANTOWN, Md., Aug. 9 Hughes Network Systems (HNS)
dominated the global VSAT market in 2000, garnering almost 70% of all
worldwide orders for VSAT (very small aperture terminal) satellite
communications systems and 51.5% of all shipped units, according to the newly
released Comsys VSAT Report for 2001.
    "Hughes Network Systems is clearly the king of the satellite enterprise
networking business with an annual share of bookings which has never fallen
below half of the total market and has sometimes exceeded 80 percent," Simon
Bull, principal analyst with Comsys said. "2000 was a good year for HNS,
thanks to its solid customer base and major contract wins with important
customers in North America and internationally," Bull said.
    "Hughes must claim title as being the first company to launch a consumer
Internet access VSAT-based service with the launch of its DirecPC(R) service
in 1995," added Bull.
    "We are very pleased that our leadership role in the VSAT industry has
been confirmed by this latest study by Comsys," said Pradman Kaul, chairman
and CEO of Hughes Network Systems. "It is very gratifying to have an
organization such as Comsys report that HNS "will continue to be the standard
against which others have to be judged" and that HNS has "emphatically proved
it is the runaway leader."
    The Comsys report is an independent survey of the worldwide satellite
industry, collecting data from more than 200 companies active in the sector.
"The Comsys report is the standard by which the VSAT industry is measured.
Its accuracy and level of detail is outstanding, " S.G. Cowen satellite
industry analyst Michael French said.

    Key findings about Hughes Network Systems in the Comsys report include:

    * In 2000, HNS booked in excess of 110,000 interactive VSATs worldwide

    * The installed base of HNS-supplied two-way VSATs exceeded 280,000 units
      worldwide

    * Through the end of 2000, HNS "has won more than half of all contracts
      for greater than 1,000 sites and accounted for eight of the ten largest
      corporate networks in service."

    In addition:

    * Through the end of 2000, HNS had shipped 175,000 of its one-way
      DirecPC(R) (DW 3000) broadband terminals

    * In 2000, HNS shipped 45,000 broadband enterprise units (DW 1000)

    Other comments on HNS in the new Comsys report:

    * "Its professionalism, solid engineering and ability to maintain its core
      values have given it a steady track record which its customers clearly
      value."

    * "The company continues to exhibit its trademark attributes -- aggressive
      pricing, strong marketing and sales, continuous product development and
      high levels of software and hardware engineering -- and this makes
      Hughes both impressive to the customer and scary to the competitors."

    * "Hughes has to be a favorite to extend its lead and establish a new
      dominance in the satellite broadband consumer service business."

    For more on Comsys, visit http://www.comsys.co.uk

    About HNS
    Hughes Network Systems, a unit of Hughes Electronics Corporation, is the
world's largest provider of broadband satellite network solutions for
businesses and consumers, with over 400,000 one-way and two-way systems
installed in more than 85 countries. HNS pioneered the development of high-
speed satellite Internet access services, which it markets globally under the
DirecPC(R) and DIRECWAY(TM) brands and is a major supplier of mobile satellite
networks and user terminals. For terrestrial access, it offers the
comprehensive AIReach(R) family of broadband wireless, point-to-multipoint
products. In addition, HNS is a leading manufacturer of DIRECTV(R) satellite
television receivers, having shipped its 6 millionth system in 2000.
Headquartered in Germantown, Maryland, USA, HNS maintains sales and support
offices worldwide. The earnings of HUGHES, a unit of General Motors
Corporation, are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to the
General Motors Class H common stock . To learn more about HNS and
DIRECWAY, please visit http://www.hns.com or http://www.direcway.com .
    DIRECTV is a registered trademark of DIRECTV, Inc. HUGHES, DIRECWAY,
DirecPC, and AIReach are trademarks of Hughes Electronics Corporation.

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