Hughes and Airtel Form Joint Venture to Provide Satellite Broadband Services in India

Combined India VSAT operations of both companies to offer wide range of satellite and hybrid network solutions to business and government customers

New Delhi, January 5, 2022 – Hughes Communications India Pvt Ltd, (HCIPL), a majority-owned subsidiary of Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an innovator in satellite and multi-transport technologies and networks for 50 years, and Bharti Airtel Limited (“Airtel”), India’s premier communications solutions provider, today announced the formation of a joint venture to provide satellite broadband services in India.

Operational as HCIPL, the entity combines the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) businesses of both companies to offer flexible and scalable enterprise networking solutions using satellite connectivity for primary transport, back-up and hybrid implementation. The agreement, announced in May 2019, has received all statutory approvals, including those from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and Department of Telecom (Government of India) and the joint venture has been formed.

“We are pleased to commence this joint venture, further delivering on our commitment to serve the growing demand for always on, always available network connectivity for enterprise and government customers,” said Partho Banerjee, president and managing director, HCIPL. “Combining the proven capabilities of both Hughes and Airtel, the partnership will bring synergies to the forefront – including multi-orbit solutions – for the benefit of customers across the length and breadth of India.”

Ajay Chitkara, director and chief executive officer, Airtel Business, said: “We, at Airtel, are focused on supporting and accelerating the digital transformation journeys of our customers through an integrated solutions portfolio. With the combined capabilities of Airtel and Hughes, customers will get access to next generation satellite connectivity backed by proven enterprise grade security and service support.”

Now serving Airtel VSAT customers, HCIPL has a combined base of over 200,000 VSATs. With unmatched reach and scale, the company is the largest satellite service operator in India, well positioned amid the changing regulatory environment to serve the emerging connectivity requirements of business and government customers with an enhanced product portfolio and operational efficiencies. HCIPL provides broadband networking technologies, solutions and services, including a full range of managed network services, for government offices and enterprises across segments like banking, aeronautical and maritime mobility, small to medium sized businesses, education, and telecom backhaul, among others.

About Airtel

Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global communications solutions provider with over 480 Mn customers in 17 countries across South Asia and Africa. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its networks cover over two billion people. Airtel is India’s largest integrated communications solutions provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. Airtel’s retail portfolio includes high speed 4G/4.5G mobile broadband, Airtel Xstream Fiber that promises speeds up to 1 Gbps with convergence across linear and on-demand entertainment, streaming services spanning music and video, digital payments and financial services. For enterprise customers, Airtel offers a gamut of solutions that includes secure connectivity, cloud and data centre services, cyber security, IoT, Ad Tech and cloud based communication. For more details visit www.airtel.com.

About Hughes Communications India

HCIPL is a majority owned subsidiary of Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the leading global provider of broadband satellite networks and services. HCIPL is the largest satellite service operator in India providing a comprehensive range of broadband networking technologies, solutions, and services for businesses and governments, including Managed Services to meet every communications challenge. More information is available at www.hughes.in.

About Hughes Network Systems

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an innovator in satellite and multi-transport technologies and networks for 50 years, provides broadband equipment and services; managed services featuring smart, software-defined networking; and end-to-end network operation for millions of consumers, businesses, governments and communities worldwide. The Hughes flagship Internet service, HughesNet^®, connects more than 1.5 million subscribers across the Americas, and the Hughes JUPITER^™ System powers Internet access for tens of millions more worldwide. Hughes supplies more than half the global satellite terminal market to leading satellite operators, in-flight service providers, mobile network operators and military customers. A managed network services provider, Hughes supports nearly 500,000 enterprise sites with its HughesON^™ portfolio of wired and wireless solutions. Headquartered in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes is owned by EchoStar. To learn more, visit www.hughes.com or follow HughesConnects on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About EchoStar

EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in secure communications technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit www.echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.

©2022 Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar company. Hughes and HughesNet are registered trademarks and JUPITER is a trademark of Hughes Network Systems, LLC.