Triumph Communications Awarded Contract with DIRECTV, Inc.

Business Editors/Interactive & Multimedia Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 3, 2000

Triumph to Provide Backhaul Services for DIRECTV(R)

Local Channel Delivery Service

Triumph CommunicationsSM, a major provider of private digital fiber video networks, has won a bid to provide a major portion of the video backhaul services for delivery of local television broadcast channels to DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading provider of digital television entertainment.

DIRECTV is expanding its service and offering local broadcast network channels in major residential markets throughout the country. A primary requirement is the delivery of local signals from selected markets to the DIRECTV Los Angeles Broadcast Center (LABC) in Los Angeles, CA and Castle Rock Broadcast Center (CRBC) in Castle Rock, Colorado. Triumph will provide the fiber backhaul from major markets throughout the United States to both the LABC and CRBC. DIRECTV currently offers local channels via satellite in 21 markets.

Triumph has designed and implemented a private network for DIRECTV that spans over 18,000 miles. At installation completion, Triumph will provide an end-to-end solution that will deliver approximately 68 local broadcast television stations from select markets across the country where DIRECTV is currently offering local channel services.

Triumph, an industry leader in private digital fiber video networks, will provide DIRECTV a premium video transmission service for its local-into-local broadcast service. The integrated compression service being provided by Triumph will have the highest level of video quality and is currently utilizing a SONET protected fiber-optic network.

In addition to providing the installation and monthly network service, Triumph will provide, as part of its value added service, ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the network. Triumph's maintenance services support the entire end-to-end network including equipment, local and long distance services.

The monitoring, troubleshooting and command of the DIRECTV Local Broadcast Service Network is supported as a complete system, managed and operated by Triumph's 24X7X365 Video Service Center, located in New York City. The DIRECTV Backhaul Service will be supervised and maintained using integrated software and hardware platforms. Triumph has the ability to monitor and troubleshoot throughout every level of the entire network, supporting all aspects of the complete service, including the network backbone and each component within the system.

DIRECTV, Inc.

DIRECTV, Inc. is the nation's leading provider of digital television entertainment with more than 8.1 million customers, including customers subscribing to the PRIMESTAR By DIRECTV service. DIRECTV is a registered trademark of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corporation. Hughes Electronics is the world's leading provider of digital television entertainment, and satellite and wireless systems and services. The earnings of Hughes Electronics, a unit of General Motors Corporation, are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to the General Motors Class H common stock (NYSE: GMH). Visit DIRECTV on the World Wide Web at www.directv.com.

Triumph Communications, Inc.

Triumph CommunicationsSM is a design engineering company and a provider of video transmission services, including both satellite and fiber capabilities and is most noted for its migration from analog to digital transmission. Triumph provides transmission services in varying bandwidths to accommodate all methods of video service at competitive rates. Services are available for full time and occasional use. Information about Triumph's services is available at www.triumphco.com.

For further information about this press release please contact Lisa Martuscelli Roberts at 212-719-2100x23.