Solaris Mobile Will Use GMR-1 3G Air Interface Technology Developed by Hughes

Solaris Mobile LLC, the pan-European S-band licensee for mobile satellite services with complimentary ground component, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corp., today announced plans to move forward with the Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) designed and developed satellite-based platform utilizing the ETSI GMR-1 3G air interface standard to enable wireless mobile devices to communicate over the satellite portion of Solaris Mobile’s network.
The GMR-1 3G industry-proven technology will enable a new generation of mobile satellite services that can operate over Solaris Mobile’s space segment, supporting advanced and all-IP services providing 3G/4G compatible user services, including multi-media and voice.

Steven Schaver, president of Solaris Mobile said, “We are pleased to utilize Hughes for the design and deployment of the satellite ground system based on the advanced capabilities of the GMR-1 3G standard. Selection of the ETSI Standard open air interface, GMR-1 3G, which is operational in about a half-million mobile satellite handhelds, allows Solaris Mobile to work with a variety of terminal manufacturers to expand its family of products and services. This is an important step in further advancing Solaris Mobile’s plan to deliver the European Union’s first next-generation, all IP-enabled mobile communications network with an integrated mobile satellite and terrestrial system.”

About Solaris Mobile LLC
Solaris Mobile, a unit of EchoStar Corp., is a next-generation European mobile satellite service operator developing hybrid satellite and terrestrial network infrastructure to support enhanced mobile communications across Europe. Solaris Mobile’s technologies and infrastructure assets will enable the deployment of broadcast and broadband services for mobile devices in a harmonized way to meet the increasing consumption of rich media and data downloading. This hybrid network, combining the ubiquity of satellites with the deep coverage available with terrestrial mobile networks provides a powerful and efficient way of delivering mobile services to people on the move in Europe .

About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) is the world’s leading provider of satellite broadband for home and office, delivering innovative network technologies, managed services, and solutions for enterprises and governments globally. HughesNet® is the #1 high-speed satellite Internet service in the marketplace, with offerings to suit every budget. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 4 million systems to customers in over 100 countries, representing approximately 50 percent market share. Its products employ global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI, and ITU organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A, and GMR-1.

Headquartered outside Washington, DC, in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations and digital TV solutions. For additional information about Hughes, please visit www.hughes.com.

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