HUGHES Wins State of Texas Satellite Services Contract

Company to Provide Back-up Networks to Support Emergency Preparedness; Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Orders 90-Site Network

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Hughes Network Systems, LLC

May 24, 2010, 08:00 ET

GERMANTOWN, Md., May 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services, today announced that it has been awarded an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract by the State of Texas to provide access continuity and transportable satellite services via its SPACEWAY® 3 satellite system. Under the contract, Texas agencies, local governments, public school districts, and public higher educational institutions may purchase satellite services to meet emergency preparedness and management priorities. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department placed the first order under the contract for a back-up network to support 90 state park sites. The contract is for a term of one year with three, one-year options.

"Texas agencies and local governments are on the front lines of citizen service, both in the day-to-day operation of government and during an emergency—when secure, reliable network communications are essential to meeting expectations," said Tony Bardo, assistant vice president for government solutions at Hughes. "We are excited that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department—a citizen-facing agency with most of its workforce located outside the state capital—has tapped Hughes to provide back-up communications for 90 state park sites. We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Department and look forward to working with other state agencies, as well as local governments and school districts."

Under the terms of the contract (Number DIR-SDD-1007), Hughes is providing satellite broadband service for access continuity via its SPACEWAY 3 satellite system, to include:

Broadband Internet access
Voice, video, and data application support
Site-to-site and site-to-data center connectivity
Managed network services
A hubless architecture that delivers secure, low-cost private satellite networks

Hughes may also provide transportable services that can be rapidly deployed to emergency or disaster recovery locations, as needed.

Bardo added, "The path-diverse nature of satellite technology makes it the perfect back-up for terrestrial networks, or as a primary broadband network for public entities located in areas not served by landlines—a problem shared by nearly a third of all Texas households. With this contract, Texas has ensured that all state agencies, schools, and local governments now have access to network communications that will continue to operate—even if land-based networks fail or are unavailable."

About Hughes Network Systems

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) is the global leader in providing broadband satellite networks and services for large enterprises, governments, small businesses, and consumers. HughesNet® encompasses all broadband solutions and managed services from Hughes, bridging the best of satellite and terrestrial technologies. Its broadband satellite products are based on global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI and ITU standards organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A and GMR-1. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 2.2 million systems to customers in over 100 countries.

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes maintains sales and support offices worldwide. Hughes is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hughes Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: HUGH). For additional information, please visit www.hughes.com.

SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC