Hughes Network Systems Gets $59 Million Broadband Stimulus Award

Hughes Network Systems has been awarded $58.7 million to provide satellite broadband services to consumers and businesses nationwide, garnering the single biggest award under the The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009  "broadband stimulus" program.

Significantly, the award, as well as others gotten by Wildblue, Echostar and Spacenet, represent the first time Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service funds, traditionally used to support rural telco and cooperative projects, have gotten funding.

Hughes Network Systems estimates 258,685 people will benefit, as well as 3,200 businesses.

Echostar got a  $14 million award to offer satellite broadband service to rural residential and commercial subscribers. The funds will provide service to 42,478 people and 1,888 businesses.

Spacenet got an $8 million award, which will allow Spacenet to offer satellite broadband service to rural residential subscribers in Alaska and Hawaii.

Wildblue got $20 million to provide satellite broadband service to rural residential and commercial subscribers in the west and midwest United States. About 110,150 people and 4,896 businesses might be served.