Press Release: Echostar Reports Third Quarter 2007 Financial Results

[Rob Glasser]

EchoStar Reports Third Quarter 2007 Financial Results

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Nov. 9, 2007 – EchoStar Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH) reported total revenue of $2.79 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2007, a 12.9 percent increase compared with $2.48 billion for the corresponding period in 2006.

Net income totaled $200 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2007, compared with $140 million during the corresponding period in 2006. Basic earnings per share was $0.45 for the quarter ended September 30, 2007, compared with basic earnings per share of $0.31 during the corresponding period in 2006.
EchoStar’s DISH Network® service, the nation’s third largest pay-TV provider, added approximately 110,000 net new subscribers during the third quarter of 2007, ending the quarter with approximately 13.695 million subscribers.

Detailed financial data and other information are available in EchoStar’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2007, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About EchoStar Communications
EchoStar Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH) has been a leader for more than 27 years in satellite TV equipment sales and support worldwide. The Company’s DISH Network® provides more than 13.695 million satellite TV customers with industry-leading customer satisfaction which has surpassed major cable companies for seven years running. DISH Network customers also enjoy access to a premier line of award-winning Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), hundreds of video and audio channels, the most International channels in the U.S., industry-leading Interactive TV applications, Latino programming, and the best sports and movies in HD. DISH Network offers a variety of package and price options including the lowest all-digital price in America, the DishDVR Advantage Package, high-speed Internet service, a free upgrade to the best HD DVR in the industry, and six months free of DishHD. EchoStar is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) and is a Fortune 300 company. Visit www.echostar.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474) for more information.

[James Long]

The 10-Q ... for those interested in more detail:
http://dish.client.shareholder.com/s...1035704-07-765

904,000 subscribers came to Dish ... 794,000 subscribers left. A net gain.
E* is collecting $66.01 per subscriber and paying $646 for each new sub.
(Not too far off from the 2nd quarter figures.)

BTW: Results for D* were also recently released - (see here)

1,032,000 subscribers came to D* ... 792,000 left leaving a net gain of 240.
D* is collecting $78.79 per subscriber and paying $696 for each new sub.

Nice to see both companies succeeding!

[Richard King]

From the 10Q

Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS – Continued

Spin-off of Technology and Certain Infrastructure Assets
On September 25, 2007, we announced that our Board of Directors had authorized management to pursue the possible spin-off of our technology business and certain of our infrastructure assets into a separate publicly-traded company. EchoStar Holding Corporation (“EHC”) was incorporated in Nevada on October 12, 2007 in order to effect the separation through a spin-off of 100% of the outstanding capital stock of EHC to ECC’s shareholders (“the spin-off”).
The spin-off assets would include, among other things, our digital set-top box business and certain satellites, uplink and satellite transmission assets, real estate and other assets and related liabilities not considered core to our consumer business, DISH Network. In addition, as part of the spin-off ECC intends to contribute approximately $1.4 billion of cash and marketable and non-marketable investment securities to EHC. Final terms and timing of the spin-off have not yet been determined. The spin-off is also subject to certain conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals. In addition EchoStar has no obligation to complete the spin-off and ECC’s board of directors may determine, at any time, in its sole discretion, that the spin-off is not in the best interests of ECC or its shareholders, or that market conditions are such that it is not advisable to separate EHC from EchoStar. On November 6, 2007, EHC filed a Registration Statement on Form 10 (File No. 001-33807) with the SEC to register shares of Class A common stock of EHC under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Form 10 does not constitute part of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.