eSAT Inc.'s VSAT Satellite Services Division Announces Upgrades to its Network Hub; Upgrades to Provide Greater Efficiency and Additional Features for eSAT's Nexstream Customers.

Business Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 14, 2000

eSAT Inc. (OTC:ASAT) (FRANKFURT:ES8)(Berlin:ES8), a leading broadband service provider offering and integrating wireless, satellite and network management solutions, today announced the completion of upgrades to its Network Hub located in Raleigh, N.C.

The upgrades will provide increased efficiency and additional features for customers of eSAT's Nexstream(TM) service. Uniquely effective in providing IP-based solutions, Nexstream, a bi-directional satellite communications solution, employs satellite downstream and upstream transmission, which bypasses the limitations of earthbound infrastructures.

The product offers significant benefits to organizations with mission-critical applications and high-speed data delivery needs. Its advantages include flexible bandwidth of 16 Kbps to 384 Kbps uplink speed, up to 8 Mbps downlink speed, DES 56 encryption, and short procurement cycles and installation times.

Nexstream customers are connected to the system through Remote Gateways that communicate directly with interactive servers located at the Hub station, via satellite.

Through improvements to both the firmware and software located in the actual Nexstream units, and changes to the network management software located at eSAT's Raleigh, N.C., Network Hub, eSAT is now able to streamline and optimize bandwidth resources, allowing the system to automatically scale available bandwidth to meet individual customer needs.

The asymmetrical hub-based design of the improved Nexstream system simplifies end user functionality, while enabling users to control their own network design and bandwidth usage.

eSAT recently completed a no-cost upgrade for all Nexstream customers.

"To remain competitive in today's digital economy, every business needs a communications solution that can effectively address all of its specific networking needs," said Jeff Hecht, vice president of business continuity services for eSAT. "Through these upgrades, we are able to offer our customers a much more robust service, particularly for customers with bandwidth-intensive applications. These new enhancements will provide them increased flexibility and performance to accommodate their specific networking requirements."

"These upgrades further confirm eSAT's unwavering commitment to provide our customers with the most advanced satellite solutions available on the market," said Chet Noblett, chairman and chief executive officer. "We see these enhancements as crucial to the success of our customers and critical to our company's ability to maintain a technological edge over our competition. Furthermore, these changes will be integral to this division's current growth initiative, providing us the opportunity to extend the reach and service capability of our product offering."

About eSAT Inc.

eSAT Inc. is a leading broadband service provider offering satellite, wireless and network management solutions. eSAT has created a suite of managed broadband connectivity services geared to clients servicing customers, both domestically and abroad. These offerings can be seamlessly combined to satisfy a wide range of data-delivery needs.

eSAT's VSAT Satellite Services division provides Internet access and networking services through its Global Satellite Internet (GSI) gateway and its bi-directional Nexstream(TM) product. Nexstream is currently being targeted to rural customers and the business continuity (disaster recovery) market, while GSI is ideal for IP multicasting applications.

Additionally, through its PacificNet Inc. subsidiary, eSAT markets a proprietary "virtual" ISP (V-ISP) product and service, as well as the ability to provide both network management and data center services through its existing Class-A data facility in Universal City, Calif.

eSAT's TERA-POINT wireless subsidiary offers proven fixed wireless solutions that address the last-mile broadband delivery market. Through key vendor relationships, proprietary network management software and years of operational experience, eSAT can rapidly and cost-effectively deploy into a community wireless connectivity solutions and ISP services.

Information about eSAT and its affiliates is available by calling 888/895-0007, 800/472-2638, or by visiting www.esatinc.com.

Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievement expressed or implied, by such forward-looking statements to differ.