Sunday October 5 5:49 PM EDT
Company Press Release
EchoStar III Successfully Launched
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 1997--EchoStar Communications Corp. (NASDAQ:DISH) announced that its EchoStar III satellite was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral this evening.
The satellite, an A2100 design built by Lockheed Martin, was put into geosynchronous transfer orbit by an Atlas IIAS launch vehicle, designated AC-135 for the EchoStar III mission.
``Everyone at EchoStar is excited that the EchoStar III is on its way to its final orbit destination,'' said Charlie Ergen, CEO and chairman, EchoStar Communications Corp. ``We are all anticipating the improved capabilities we will be able to provide our subscribers. The activation of this satellite will further solidify DBS service as the better television programming option over cable.''
The DISH Network currently serves over 820,000 customers, which represents additions of 105,000 and 230,000 customers for the month and quarter ended Sept. 30, 1997, respectively. The quarterly additions represents a 200% increase as compared to the same period of the previous year.
The activation of EchoStar III will complement this programming by expanding international, educational and business programming, together with data delivery and possible retransmission of local channels to select markets. EchoStar I and II currently provide television programming offered by the DISH Network to subscribers in the U.S.
``1997 has been an interesting year for this company. In spite of the many bumps along the way, we are now poised for continued growth,'' added Ergen. ``And like our new satellite, the sky's the limit.''
EchoStar III is equipped with 32 transponders operating at 120 watts per channel. The satellite will orbit at 61.5 degrees West Longitude where EchoStar is authorized for up to eleven frequencies.
EchoStar, headquartered in Englewood, Colo., is a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of satellite television products and the only U.S. provider of state-of-the-art fully MPEG-2/DVB compliant satellite television systems. The company is a single, convenient source for equipment distribution, sales, installation and service, consumer financing, and programming distribution. EchoStar is also widely recognized in the satellite industry for its advanced research and development activities.
EchoStar plans to further enhance its spectrum of services by the launching of EchoStar IV in the first quarter 1998, from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan.
NOTE TO EDITORS: DISH (Digital Sky Highway) Network is a service mark of EchoStar Communications Corp. DISH Network is located on the Internet at: dishnetwork.com .
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