J.D. Power and Associates Ranks DISH Network No.1 in Customer Satisfaction

Business Wire, Sept 6, 2000

Business Editors

LITTLETON, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 6, 2000

(NASDAQ:DISH,DISHP):

Once Again, EchoStar's DISH Network Ranks Ahead of Cable,

Satellite Competitors in Overall Customer Satisfaction

EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH,DISHP) is pleased to announce today that for the second year in a row DISH Network(TM) ranked number one in overall customer satisfaction in the pay TV industry, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2000 Cable/Satellite TV Customer Satisfaction Study(SM).

In addition, DISH Network outranked its satellite TV competitor for the fourth year in a row in customer satisfaction and by a wider margin than last year. DISH Network also outranked all of the cable companies in the nation in the customer satisfaction study. DISH Network performed well in all factors that drive customer satisfaction, particularly in the area of cost of service and program offerings.

"EchoStar is pleased to receive the number one ranking in overall customer satisfaction for DISH Network's satellite television service," said Charlie Ergen, CEO and chairman of EchoStar. "At DISH Network, we make it our goal to have direct communications with our customers through live on-air `Charlie Chats', to keep our prices the lowest in the industry and to add popular channels and local networks to our television offerings. We continue to invest in new satellites and new technologies like high-definition TV, digital video recording and interactive television, which demonstrate our commitment to customer satisfaction. Our number one ranking by J.D. Power and Associates in customer satisfaction for the second year in a row clearly helps to illustrate why DISH Network is the fastest-growing satellite TV company in the nation."

As reported in August, DISH Network has captured 56 percent of net new customers in the direct broadcast satellite TV industry in the first half of 2000.

The J.D. Power and Associates study looks at six factors that drive customer satisfaction: cost of service, credibility/billing, program offerings, customer service, equipment and service capabilities, and reception quality. The 2000 Cable/Satellite TV Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 4,800 households nationwide.

"Congratulations to our 10,000 employees at DISH Network who are excited to hear that their hard work and dedication to providing a superior product, outstanding channel offerings, excellent retail support and one-on-one customer service have paid off by being ranked number one in the industry in overall customer satisfaction," said Soraya Hesabi-Cartwright, executive vice president of DISH Network. "We believe our strength lies in our ability to expand and operate our own customer service centers to give customers assistance from DISH Network employees 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Headquartered in Agoura Hills, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting and customer satisfaction. The above survey results can be accessed at www.jdpower.com.

DISH Network has the capacity to offer 500 channels of crystal-clear, CD-quality audio and video channels, providing the best in entertainment television, local broadcast TV networks and international programming. Call 1-800/333-DISH (3474) to get your DISH Network digital satellite TV system today or visit www.dishnetwork.com to find your local DISH Network retailer.

DISH Network is EchoStar's state-of-the-art direct broadcast satellite system with the capacity to offer 500 channels of digital video and CD-quality audio programming as well as fully MPEG-2/DVB compliant hardware and installation. DISH Network, a trademark of EchoStar Communications Corporation, currently serves over 4.3 million customers nationwide. EchoStar is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX), which contains the largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq Stock Market. For more information, contact 1-800/333-DISH (3474) or visit www.dishnetwork.com.