DISH Network Satellite Television Offers New South Asian Channel Packages

The Dish Network User's Resource

LITTLETON, Colo.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Oct. 2, 2000--EchoStar Communications Corporation (Nasdaq:DISH, DISHP):

DISH Network's New South Asian Channel Packages to Include Sony Entertainment Television, Zee TV, TV Asia, Bollywood For You and Zee Gold!

EchoStar Communications Corporation (Nasdaq:DISH, DISHP) is pleased to announce today that DISH Network(TM) is the only satellite television programming provider in the United States to offer the most comprehensive South Asian language packages featuring top-rated entertainment services from India. Beginning Oct. 2, customers can choose one of four packages offering Zee TV, TV Asia, Sony Entertainment Television (SET), Bollywood For You (B4U) and Zee Gold.

SOUTH ASIAN-LANGUAGE CHANNEL PACKAGES

• MEGA Pack ($49.99 per month): Zee TV, TV Asia, SET, B4U and Zee Gold
• JUMBO Pack #1 ($44.99 per month): Zee TV, TV Asia, SET and B4U
• JUMBO Pack #2 ($44.99 per month): Zee TV, TV Asia, SET and Zee Gold
• SUPER Pack ($34.99 per month): Zee TV, TV Asia and SET

UPDATE: Due to popular demand a fifth package is now available.

• Pick Two ($24.99/month): Zee TV, TV Asia or Zee, SET or TV Asia and SET

"DISH Network is committed to provide our international customers with the best values in international television services," said Michael Schwimmer, vice president of Programming at EchoStar. "We are confident that these four new packages will provide our South Asian subscribers with a 'one-stop-shop' option for the best entertainment directly from India."

SOUTH ASIAN CHANNELS ON DISH NETWORK

• ZEE TV: Zee TV is a multilanguage channel with a mixture of films, news, children's programming and sports. Highlights include cricket matches from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
• TV ASIA: TV Asia is a full entertainment and information channel for the Indian community featuring news, educational programs, dramas, music and movies in Hindi, English and Gujarati.
• SONY ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION: SET offers over 1,500 hours per month of exclusive South Asian programming like blockbuster movies, serials, sitcoms, lifestyle programs, game and talk shows, live concerts, current affairs programs and newscasts.
• BOLLYWOOD FOR YOU: B4U features hit movies straight from India's celebrated Bollywood, from classic films to contemporary blockbusters. B4U offers five full-length films per day, and it is the only channel to air Indian movies in the United States less than six months after their theatrical release in India.
• ZEE GOLD: Zee Gold features a wide variety of South Asian language movies, from black and white classic films to contemporary blockbusters. Zee Gold also provides the best in South Asian music videos, featuring such artists as Daler Mehandi, Mika, Sunita Rao, Alisha Chinoy and more.

To find out about DISH Network's international programming services, visit http://www.dishnetwork.com. Call 1-888/877-7263 or visit www.kbs-tv.com for information about about Digital Dynamite plans, which offer a complete satellite TV system and installation with no equipment to purchase.

DISH Network is a trademark of EchoStar Communications Corporation. DISH Network is EchoStar's state-of-the-art direct broadcast satellite TV system that is capable of offering over 500 channels of digital video and CD-quality audio programming, as well as fully MPEG-2/DVB compliant hardware and installation. DISH Network was ranked number one in overall customer satisfaction among cable/satellite TV subscribers by J.D. Power and Associates in 1999 and 2000. EchoStar is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) which contains the largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq Stock Market. DISH Network currently serves over 4.3 million customers. For more information, contact 1-800/333-DISH (3474) or visit http://www.dishnetwork.com.

CONTACT: EchoStar Communications Corp., Littleton
Marc Lumpkin, Communications Manager, 303/723-2020
marc.lumpkin@echostar.com