DISH Network Education Launches the JASON Project.

LITTLETON, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 1, 1999--

DISH Network Education Brings Scientific Expeditions

to Students via Direct Broadcast Satellite TV

EchoStar Communications Corp. (NASDAQ: DISH, DISHP) is pleased to announce today that DISH Network Education(TM) will launch the JASON Project, an educational program broadcasting live expeditions from Peru's Amazon Rainforest, from March 2-12, 1999, 1-2:30 p.m. EST. The JASON Project -- one of the most comprehensive distance-learning programs offered -- transports students on virtual field trips and scientific journeys across the globe.

Previously, the JASON Project's satellite transmissions were only available to specific locations where various schools gathered to watch, interact and learn from the program. Now, DISH Network Education conveniently delivers these special broadcasts directly into the classroom or home.

DISH Network Education will broadcast JASON X: Rainforests -- A Wet & Wild Adventure to DISH Network Education customers across the United States. Each day, this live broadcast visually transports students to scientific research sites in Peru's Amazon Rainforest. The program is enhanced with curriculum materials and exercises, as well as the JASON Project website at www.jasonproject.org, which helps guide students through the learning process. The result is one of the most comprehensive and entertaining learning experiences for growing minds.

"DISH Network Education concentrates on providing the most exemplary distance-learning programming, and the JASON Project is on the top of that list," said Bill Vanderpoel, vice president of Business Development for EchoStar. "Our focus is to offer special educational tools to a large sector of learning centers, whether it is a business, educational institution or an individual home. By providing the JASON Project through DISH Network Education, many schools that do not have the resources to travel to specific JASON Project broadcasting sites now have the opportunity to learn about the world and science in this very special way."

"The JASON Project is excited to be working with DISH Network Education," said Tim Armour, executive director of The JASON Foundation for Education. "Our relationship with EchoStar will definitely enhance our ability to broadcast live directly to classrooms as well as to the host sites we have worked with over the last 10 years. This year's live broadcasts from the Amazon for the JASON Project mark a major increment in the number of students and teachers we are able to reach."

Content rich and educationally sound, DISH Network Education's programming provides teachers and home-schooling parents with tools to augment their curriculums with a variety of award-winning distance-learning programs.

DISH Network Education provides distance-learning programming available for all ages -- from learning a foreign language to English as a second language, or from staff development to parent education. DISH Network Education will expand to included services such as continuing education for adults, in-home professional certification, educational entertainment channels and high-speed data services.

DISH Network Education's satellite broadcasts can provide on-demand teaching services from the same 18-inch satellite dish used by over 2 million DISH Network(TM) television entertainment customers today. For more information, call DISH Network Education at 1-877-DISH-EDU (347-4338).

EchoStar Communications Corp. includes three interrelated business units:

o DISH Network(TM) is EchoStar's state-of-the-art DBS system that

offers customers over 300 channels of digital video and

CD-quality audio programming, fully MPEG-2/DVB-compliant

hardware, installation, financing and leasing.

o EchoStar Technologies Corporation (ETC, formerly HTS(TM) --

Houston Tracker Systems, Inc.), designs, manufactures and

distributes DBS set-top boxes, antennas and other digital

equipment for DISH Network and various international customers

that include ExpressVu Canada and Telefonica's Via Digital system

in Spain. ETC also provides uplink-center design, construction

oversight and project-integration services for customers

internationally.

o Satellite Services provides the delivery of video, audio and data

services to business television customers and other satellite

users. These services include satellite uplink, satellite

transponder space-usage and other services. Satellite Services

also administers SKY VISTA, a direct broadcast satellite service

offering up to 27 channels of popular digital satellite

television programming to viewers in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico

and the U.S. territories in the Caribbean.

DISH Network currently serves over 2 million customers. DISH Network is a trademark of EchoStar Communications Corporation. HTS is a trademark of Houston Tracker Systems, Inc. DISH Network is located on the Internet at: www.dishnetwork.com