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Frost & Sullivan Awards "Technology of the Year" To Hughes Network Systems' DIRECWAY - HughesNet

San Antonio, March 12, 2002

Frost & Sullivan last night awarded HNS' DIRECWAY® two-way broadband satellite solutions with the distinguished 2002 Market Engineering Technology of the Year Award for its vision, innovative solutions, and impact on the satellite industry.

This award recognizes HNS' successful development of its DIRECWAY service for businesses and consumers, and its expected contribution to the industry in terms of adoption and change.

A team of Frost & Sullivan analysts tracked market participants' technology innovations through ongoing market research, market interviews, and extensive secondary and technology research.

Frost & Sullivan reviewed the degree of technology adoption in the marketplace and the potential for DIRECWAY technology to become an industry standard. Additionally, the analysts reviewed the impact of the technology in terms of R & D, the capabilities of HNS to deliver an innovative product to the marketplace as well as third party endorsement of HNS' leadership in the satellite industry. Finally, in identifying the Technology of the Year recipient, Frost & Sullivan analysts examined market share, HNS' success in communicating the technology's benefits and the potential benefits for consumers and the marketplace.

"We are recognizing a true leader in this industry. The DIRECWAY service has all the right elements for mass adoption: it is a highly flexible solution and it drives cost efficiencies for enterprise and consumer markets," says Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Juliette Salvati. "Frost & Sullivan continues to recognize and credit Hughes Network Systems for giving birth to the next-generation mission of the satellite industry."

DIRECWAY two-way satellite can be considered HNS' fourth-generation network solution, signaling the rollout for two-way Internet services which bypasses the need for dial-up connection and provides affordable "always on" high-speed transmissions from the user to the Internet.

About DIRECWAY

DIRECWAY is the world's leading broadband by satellite service for consumer, small business and enterprise markets. Consumers anywhere in the continental U.S. can get DIRECWAY high-speed Internet service from major providers including EarthLink, AOL, Pegasus, NRTC and DIRECTV. Enterprises have access to a wide variety of value-added solutions, all on a single platform, and all backed by comprehensive support from HNS, to give companies the edge they need in today's market. To learn more about DIRECWAY, please visit www.direcway.com.

About Hughes Network Systems

Hughes Network Systems, Inc. (HNS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hughes Electronics Corporation (HUGHES), is the world's leading provider of broadband satellite network solutions for businesses and consumers, with more than 500,000 systems installed in 85 countries. HNS pioneered the development of high-speed satellite Internet access services, which it markets globally under the DirecPC® and DIRECWAY® brands, and is a major supplier of mobile satellite networks, including GSM-enabled portable handsets and Internet devices. For terrestrial access, it offers the comprehensive AIReach® family of broadband wireless, point-to-multipoint products. In addition, HNS is a leading manufacturer of DIRECTV® satellite television receivers, having shipped over 8 million systems to date.

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C. in Germantown, Maryland, USA, HNS maintains sales and support offices worldwide. The earnings of HUGHES, a unit of General Motors Corporation, are used to calculate the earnings attributable to the General Motors Class H common stock (NYSE: GMH). To learn more about HNS, please visit www.hns.com.


About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, a global leader in international strategic market consulting and training, presents Market Engineering Awards to companies that demonstrate the diligence, perseverance, and dedication required to develop a successful business plan and excel in the increasingly competitive global marketplace. Frost & Sullivan rigorously analyzes specific criteria to determine Market Engineering Award recipients in a variety of regional and global market landscapes. Founded in 1961, Frost & Sullivan is headquartered in San Jose, CA with offices located worldwide: New York, San Antonio, Toronto, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Beijing, Tokyo, Singapore, Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur. For further information, visit http://awards.frost.com.