EchoStar VI Reaches Final Orbit, Begins Broadcasting to DISH Network Satellite TV Customers

16-Oct-00

EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH, DISHP) announced that EchoStar VI, EchoStar's sixth direct broadcast satellite, which launched successfully on July 14, 2000, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, has reached its final orbital location at 119 degrees West Longitude as assigned under a special temporary authority by the Federal Communications Commission. EchoStar VI was launched to 148 degrees W.L. for testing and was later relocated to 119 degrees W.L. where it now is broadcasting satellite TV channels to over 4.3 million DISH Network customers nationwide, including Alaska and Hawaii. To date, all systems on the satellite are operating normally. EchoStar VI, the most powerful high-powered DBS satellite ever constructed, was built by Space Systems/Loral of Palo Alto, California, based on its FS 1300 series design. DISH Network has the capacity to offer 500 channels of popular television channels, including local channels in 33 markets, interactive television services and Spanish-language programming, all on a single small DISH 500 antenna, which has the ability to receive satellite signals from two orbital locations at the same time. For more information about DISH Network visit www.dishnetwork.com.

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