Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) has surpassed 500,000 North American subscribers to its HughesNet® service. At a time when the U.S. is debating how to bring about universal broadband connectivity, Hughes continues to deliver high-speed Internet access services to individuals and small businesses that are in underserved and unserved areas of North America and otherwise would have to rely on slow dial-up connections.

"High-speed access is about more than being able to surf the Internet," said Mike Cook, Hughes senior vice president. "For the millions of homes and small businesses lying within areas of North America that are unserved by cable and DSL providers, satellite broadband is what keeps people connected to friends and family and keeps countless small businesses generating revenue." HughesNet high-speed satellite service is what kept Angie Reinche of Missouri in contact with her husband when he was deployed in Iraq. In Wilmore, Kansas, HughesNet Internet access at the local library has enabled the town's 100 residents to take distance learning classes, conduct research, and shop online, giving them access to stores that are a four-hour car ride away. Cook added, "We are proud to have reached this significant milestone and could not have done it without the hard work of our dealers, installers, and employees. We look forward to continuing to push the envelope, bringing our subscribers even faster speeds and more feature-rich applications in the future."