DirecTV in the News

Hughes Network Systems HNS Ships 5 Million DirecTV Systems

GERMANTOWN, Md., July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Hughes Network Systems (HNS), a unit of Hughes Electronics Corporation, announced today that it had shipped over 5 million DIRECTV® systems. This milestone represents a dramatic increase in production and sales for HNS, which announced shipping its 1 millionth DIRECTV system just 18 months ago, in January of 1999.

"This achievement is a testimony to the quality of the entire HNS team -- from product management and sales to manufacturing and operations,'' said Paul Gaske, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Hughes Network Systems' Consumer Division. ``It's also a statement about the quality of our distribution network of dealers and retailers nationwide, as well as the continued -- and growing -- demand for DIRECTV's industry-leading entertainment services.''

"We've always focused on delivering the highest quality, easiest-to-use products to market,'' said Dick Armstrong, Vice President of Product Planning & Operations. "With our new generation of advanced products -- such as the Platinum HD which supports high-definition signals from DIRECTV -- we will continue that tradition into the future.''

About Hughes Network Systems - HNS

A world leader in providing wireless broadband solutions for businesses and consumers, Hughes Network Systems (HNS), headquartered in Germantown, MD, is a unit of Hughes Electronics, the world's leading provider of digital information and entertainment services. HNS is a leading manufacturer of set-top receivers and such exciting convergence products as DirecDuo. HNS also provides high-speed broadband services and convergence products based on satellite and is the world leader in satellite broadband with its award winning DirecPC service. In addition, HNS is the global VSAT market leader with sales of over 300,000 terminals and has sales and support offices worldwide. HNS is a unit of Hughes Electronic Corporation and an ISO-9001- certified manufacturer. 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.