Hughes and Avanti Expand Ka-Band Satellite Services Footprint

Multi-year deal raises orders to US$42 Million for Hughes to supply Avanti with Ka-band technology and expand HYLAS 1 & 2 satellite broadband services across Europe/MEA

GERMANTOWN, Maryland and MILTON KEYNES, England, April 27, 2010 - Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) today announced an US$18 million,
multi-year agreement to supply Avanti Communications Group, plc with advanced
Ka-band networking infrastructure for Avanti's HYLAS 2 satellite, building on
the initial US$24 million contract to supply Ka-band technology for HYLAS 1
signed last October. Both deals include acquisition of satellite capacity by
Hughes, which will be used to expand its Ka-band broadband services across
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Under the agreement, Hughes will supply Avanti with 48 advanced Ka-band
system gateways for HYLAS 2, scheduled for launch in 2012, thereby raising
the total to 56 gateways for both satellites, and complementing the prior
order for 50,000 customer premise terminals. This powerful Ka-band
architecture will enable the industry's most efficient delivery of
bandwidth-demanding services, such as digital signage and distance learning
for enterprises, and large-scale, high-speed Internet services for consumers
and small businesses. In addition, it will open new potential for government
and defense applications throughout the region, from high-speed Internet
access for troops in the field, to sophisticated broadband on-the-move
solutions. Taken together, HYLAS 1 and 2 have the capacity to serve a
population of approximately 1 million broadband sites.

"This is the second stage of an exciting win-win agreement with Avanti,
and validates our leadership in Ka-band technology and services," said
Pradman Kaul, chairman and CEO of Hughes. "It positions us to rapidly expand
Ka-band services across Europe and the Middle East — especially for
consumers and small businesses, building on the momentum of our
record-breaking success delivering HughesNet(R) satellite Internet service in
North America, now with over 500,000 consumer subscribers, making it the
largest broadband satellite service on the planet."

Hughes, the world's largest satellite broadband service provider,
operates on more than 20 satellites covering the globe. It owns and operates
service businesses in North America, Europe, India, and Brazil, augmented by
a rapidly growing base of independent service providers operating in over 100
countries.

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.

Hughes and HughesNet are registered trademarks of Hughes Network Systems,
LLC.

In U.S.: Judy Blake of Hughes, +1-301-601-7330, judy.blake at hughes.com, or Donna Armstrong of Brodeur Partners for Hughes, +1-202-775-2650, darmstrong at brodeur.com; or In Europe: Adriana Cassandro of Hughes Europe, +44(0)1908-425-328, a.cassandro at hugheseurope.com, or Katy Brooks or Jane Rigg of The Whiteoaks Consultancy for Hughes Europe, +44(0)1252-727-313, katyb at whiteoaks.co.uk