StarBand Signs National Agreement

Wholesaler US Online will offer StarBand's satellite broadband service through the ISP partner network serving 400,000 subscribers.

by Roy Mark of www.internetnews.com [February 21, 2002]

Satellite broadband provider StarBand has formed a wholesale partnership with US Online to offer StarBand high-speed Internet service through US Online's partner network of regional and local Internet service providers. US Online's affiliates have more than 400,000 subscribers in 45 states.

Under the agreement, StarBand will provide Internet access and management of its high-speed satellite network. US Online will be responsible for all operations and affiliate support programs including recruitment, service provisioning and ISP service training and technical support. The affiliates will oversee the customer relationship handling subscriber sales, installation, billing and customer support.

"The partnership is a tremendous win for everyone," said US Online President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Steve Klock. "US Online gains access to StarBand's award-winning high-speed satellite Internet service for our ISP partners and their subscribers, while StarBand gains a cost-effective and efficient ISP channel management solution for the local and regional ISP community."

Other StarBand retailers include EchoStar's DISH Network dealers, StarBand's largest distribution channel, VALOR Telecom, a telecommunications company serving more than 500,000 customers in 260 communities located in Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, and the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC), representing the telecommunications and information technology interests of more than 1,000 rural electric and telephone systems to more than 20 million consumers.

"The StarBand-US Online agreement means more channels for more consumers to gain the speed and power of two-way, always-on Internet service," said StarBand Co-Chairman and CEO Zur Feldman. "Consumers everywhere want a reliable, high-performance Internet solution for their home and today the answer for virtually all of these customers is StarBand."

StarBand delivers its Internet service through professionally installed small antennas on roofs or walls of customer homes or on poles. The StarBand Model 360 high-speed modem is connected to a customer's computer. When a customer accesses StarBand Internet service, the signal travels over inside wiring to the rooftop antenna. The antenna then relays the data signals to a satellite.

The satellite sends the signal to the StarBand network operations center where it gathers, aggregates and routes the signals to deliver data from the Internet to the customer. The StarBand antenna accommodates both Internet service and EchoStar's DISH Network satellite TV programming.

Founded in early 2000, StarBand's investors and strategic partners include EchoStar Communications Corp., Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., Microsoft Corp. and FS Investments. StarBand has exclusive rights to offer Gilat's two-way, high-speed consumer Internet technology in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

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