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Digital Media and Training Solutions Expand HughesNet Enterprise Offerings GRIESHEIM, Germany, Sept. 22

GRIESHEIM, Germany, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ — Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services, announced today that its European operating unit has launched an expanded portfolio of HughesNet(R) enterprise offerings based on Hughes’ recently-acquired Helius Business IPTV solutions. The expanded portfolio includes comprehensive digital signage and on-line training applications, which are imperative for today’s enterprises of any size to drive sales and improve customer loyalty.

“eLearning and Digital Signage are two of the fastest growing areas within our HughesNet solutions portfolio,” said Mike Darcy, president of Hughes Europe. “We are excited to add the Helius solutions to our line-up, offering our customers the choice of a proven, high performance platform for both Internet and broadcast-based eLearning and digital signage.”

The Helius Business IPTV solutions are comprised of the following:

– Helius MediaAuthor - A simple, yet powerful application designed to support small-scale, digital signage installations in retail outlets — MediaAuthor is easy to install and manage, as a fully integrated plug-in to Microsoft(R) PowerPoint.

– Helius Portal and Presenter - A fully-featured, cost-effective eLearning platform, Helius Portal enables management to provide on-line training, monitor compliance, and automatically issue certifications for internal and external users. On-line reports track which users have taken each course and how they scored; and as a hosted service it can be deployed at individual sites or globally. Helius Presenter allows organizations to quickly convert Microsoft PowerPoint presentations into trackable, on-line training packages, complete with audio visuals and interactivity.

– Helius MediaGate Router and the MediaGate Software Suite - Together, these products comprise a unique platform to support large-scale digital signage and eLearning solutions for global enterprises, enabling the central management of multiple, localised programmes which can be delivered live and as video-on-demand.

“These products are designed for rapid deployment and can be simply and quickly added to existing HughesNet solutions,” said Mike Tippets, president of Helius. “Customers such as General Motors, Safeway, JCPenney, Raytheon, General Dynamics, and others have benefited from the power and flexibility of Helius applications — and we are implementing pilot installations of these products and services with customers of Hughes today.”

Helius was acquired by Hughes Communications, Inc. in early 2008.

About Helius

Founded in 1995, Helius is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hughes and provides digital media and training solutions for business. Helius’ patented expertise helps organizations implement applications such as digital signage, distance learning, and corporate communications.

Helius, a Hughes company, has teamed with PlasMedia Productions on one of the nation’s largest in-mall digital signage networks, servicing over 3,600 advertisers in 100 locations. PlasMedia selected the Helius digital signage solution because it allowed them to quickly expand their business and meet all of their technology requirements.

PlasMedia Productions operates an ad-funded digital signage network, serving shopping malls with localized ads targeting millions of shoppers. PlasMedia provides local advertisers (in-mall and off-site) an opportunity to promote their products and services through video ads and multimedia commercials. Initially, PlasMedia Productions opted to use a competitor’s digital signage solution, which required manual updates to the media players every time an ad was modified or created. By late 2006, with business growing and mall locations starting to branch out across the US, it was clear that the manual update and management solution currently in place was not going to be viable going forward. In its search to replace the existing solution, PlasMedia piloted the Helius Media Signage product and found it allowed for central control and deployment of content to any number of Helius media players.

“Working with Helius has helped us overcome significant growth obstacles,” said Dean Talley, CEO and founder, PlasMedia Productions. “We had reached a tipping point in the growth of the company and technology was becoming a major obstacle. Helius has been instrumental in overcoming specific technological and logistical challenges, helping us achieve our growth objectives.”

The Helius network management software provides PlasMedia with an intuitive interface to upload and target content as well as gain visibility into the reporting aspects needed to effectively manage the system. Working with PlasMedia to address specific needs, Helius integrated cellular broadband access to each of the media players, thereby enabling connectivity at each remote play-out device.

“PlasMedia Productions has been a great partner to collaborate with,” said Jeff Curtis, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Helius. “We are excited to offer digital signage technology that removes the barriers to growth and opens up new market opportunities for PlasMedia. We look forward to providing additional services in support of their growth.”

About PlasMedia Productions, Inc.

Founded in August of 2004, PlasMedia Productions, Inc. represents a high tech development in advertising that provides a truly effective means of communicating messages to past, current and future customers. With the aid of dynamic, targeted messages displayed on strategically placed Digital Signage, PlasMedia Productions, Inc. communicates their clients’ message when their customers are listening — while they are actually shopping. PlasMedia Productions, Inc. network extends through regional shopping malls owned by Simon Properties, General Growth Properties, CBL Properties and independent developers. For more information, visit PlasmediaProductions.com or call Dean Talley at 816-777-0353.

About Helius

Helius, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hughes (NASDAQ: HUGH), provides IPTV and training solutions for business. Our patented expertise helps organizations implement applications such as digital signage, distance learning, and corporate communications. For more information, visit www.helius.com or call Jeffrey Curtis at 801-764-9020.

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 1.5 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.

NEW YORK, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire/ — NRF 95th Annual Convention & Expo — Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) today announced its Managed Digital Signage Service, the first of several new services planned in 2006 under the company’s Digital Media Services umbrella. This offering will facilitate the trend in the retail industry towards increased use of electronic in-store branding and promotion.

According to a recent AMR Research report, “Shoppers make 70% of their actual buying decisions only after they are inside the store, so retailers that enhance customer interaction can distinguish their in-store experience from competitors’ and provide the service that customers demand — enabling them to satisfy customer expectations, increase conversion and market baskets, and garner long-term loyalty.”(1)
With its Managed Digital Signage service, Hughes is making it easier for retailers to capitalize on this market opportunity and stay competitive through “on-the-fly,” targeted customer communications. The service enables retailers to change content based on anything from time of day to weather conditions. Moreover, it allows different content to be automatically displayed at different times of the day in order to send a more precise message to the target audience. For example, if a retailer has a different demographic in the morning than in the late afternoon, messages can be customized to address distinct buying traits and to showcase products appropriate for each audience, thereby increasing likelihood of purchase.
“Hughes’ Managed Digital Signage service gives retailers the power of their own television network at their fingertips,” said Ken Cohen, assistant vice president of marketing, HNS. “With traditional media and static displays, retailers are limiting their ability to communicate with target audiences. Our offering gives them the flexibility to customize their message at every site, at every moment. And because of Hughes’ deep retail technology experience, our team can quickly assess a retail operation and recommend the right technology to maximize brand investments and expedite ROI.”
Hughes’ Managed Digital Signage service is a single-vendor solution for retailers to solve a logistically complex operational challenge. The result is a complete, integrated electronic branding and promotional infrastructure that includes:
* Installation and operation of the entire in-store media network;
* Provisioning of high-definition video screens;
* Media optimization and resolution reformatting; and
* Playback affidavits.

“This as an opportunity for retailers to focus on brand building and increasing customer loyalty while Hughes, an experienced managed services provider, handles all aspects of technology management,” Cohen added. “We believe that our service will allow retailers of every size to realize the benefits of digital signage.”
Hughes is already managing digital signage implementations for retail customers across Europe, including Tesco PLC, and is in the process of introducing the service in the U.S. Other existing and planned offerings under the company’s Managed Digital Media Services umbrella include business IPTV and distance learning.
Visit the Hughes booth, #1455 at NRF 2006 to learn more about Hughes’ Managed Digital Signage Service or call (866) 240-3875.
About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HNS) is the world’s leading provider of broadband satellite network solutions for businesses and consumers, with more than 850,000 systems ordered or shipped to customers in 85 countries. HNS pioneered the development of high-speed satellite Internet access services and IP-based networks, which it markets globally under the DIRECWAY(R) brand. DIRECWAY terminals are based on the IPoS (IP over Satellite) global standard, approved by the TIA, ETSI, and ITU standards organizations.
Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, HNS maintains sales and support offices worldwide. HNS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hughes Communications, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyTerra Communications, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: SKYT) .
HUGHES and Hughes Network Systems are trademarks of Hughes Network Systems, LLC. DIRECWAY is a trademark of The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
(1) AMR Research, “The 21st Century Store Tech Trends Survey: TargetedInvestments to Enhance Customer Interactions,” August 2005, Garf, Robert and Scott, Fenella

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact: Hughes Network Systems, LLC

CONTACT: Judy Blake of Hughes Network Systems, +1-301-601-7330,jblake@hns.com; or Leslie Tullio of Brodeur, +1-202-423-3905,ltullio@brodeur.com, for Hughes Network Systems