Advanced Airborne Video Solution Successfully Demonstrated with Record Transmission Rates

Hughes Unveils Groundbreaking Airborne Video Solution

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Jul 26, 2010, 08:30 ET

GERMANTOWN, Md., July 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services, today announced it completed a successful demonstration of its advanced airborne video solution to a key government agency, confirming full D-1 video resolution at air-to-ground user data rates of over 2 Mbps.

"Our airborne technology has advanced rapidly," said Rick Lober, vice president and general manager of Hughes Defense and Intelligence Systems Division. "Our new airborne video solution features speeds five times greater than what is currently available – delivering groundbreaking performance at an affordable cost. Founded on a proven COTS-based platform, this progressive solution will truly enhance situational awareness for users in the military and government."

The Hughes Airborne Video Solution employs the high performance Hughes HX router and

HX ExpertNMS, its advanced network management system with a highly intuitive and interactive interface to optimize performance and productivity. Hughes is building on its commercial aviation broadband offering, thereby facilitating adoption of a COTS-based solution by the airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) community.

The demo took place on Row 44's flying test-bed aircraft, based out of Camarillo, California, and outfitted with TECOM Industries, Inc. KuStream™ 1000 bi-directional Ku- band antenna, and Streambox's highly secure video coding and viewing sub-system. Intelsat General provided the communications link for the demonstration via its Horizon-1@127 degrees W satellite.

To learn more about the Hughes Airborne Video Solution, please visit defense.hughes.com/resources/airborne-2-minutes.

About Row 44, Inc.

Row 44, Inc. will be the leading provider of broadband satellite for the aviation industry, offering an In-flight Broadband Connectivity System to provide passengers with live entertainment and communication, including high data rate applications such as full Internet access, VoIP services, cell phone roaming (via pico-cells in markets with appropriate regulation) and live television using IPTV for airplanes around the world. Through an exclusive relationship with Hughes Network Systems (HNS), Row 44 is the only company positioned to deliver seamless uninterrupted broadband services using the world's largest fleet of commercial satellites to airlines and private aviation via satellite. For more information, please visit http://www.row44.com/.

About TECOM Industries, Inc.

TECOM Industries, a Smiths Interconnect business, designs and builds custom antenna systems for the defense, commercial wireless and satellite communications markets. The KuStream 1000 antenna system enables the Row 44 In-flight Broadband Connectivity System the flexibility to be adapted for the high speed video surveillance capability desired by government agencies in an affordable commercial-off-the-shelf solution. The KuStream 1000 has received FCC licensing for airborne transmit and receive. TECOM has completed the requirements for environmental qualification of the KuStream 1000 and has received the FAA Parts Manufacture Approval. For more information, please visit www.tecom-ind.com or www.kustream.com/.

About Streambox

Streambox focuses on IP-based, end-to-end newsgathering and contribution services. It delivers SD and HD software and hardware for video compression, transmission, management, and playout. The Streambox Live™ service supplements the Streambox platform with free encoding software and server-based services for scalable newsgathering and contribution.

Streambox solutions are based on the industry-leading ACT-L3™ codec, which provides unrivaled performance, reliability, and quality over low data rate IP networks for fast transmission and playout of video streams in HD and SD. The company's platform enables broadcasters, government agencies, enterprises, and other users to enhance content ownership, simplify operations, and increase operational efficiencies.

About Intelsat General Corp.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD., Intelsat General Corporation provides leading-edge communications solutions to commercial, government, and military customers through fixed and mobile satellite systems and associated terrestrial communications services. Intelsat General incorporates flexible and robust ground and space infrastructure and technical expertise to deliver reliable, quickly deployable and secure network solutions anywhere around the globe. Intelsat General is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Intelsat, Ltd. www.intelsatgeneral.com.

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