EXHIBIT 99
CONTACTS: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Investors
Robert W. Stewart Michael S. Kraft
703-762-5175 703-762-5359
888-894-7812 800-981-5994
Teligent adds Hughes AIReach(TM) equipment to its broadband wireless roster
VIENNA, VA., April 14, 1999 - Teligent, an integrated communications company,
today announced that Hughes Network Systems will become an additional equipment
supplier for Teligent's local communications networks.
Hughes becomes a second supplier of point-to-multipoint microwave radios and
electronics for Teligent, which is offering local, long distance, high-speed
data and Internet access services over its digital SmartWave(TM) networks in 26
markets throughout the country. Teligent will continue its existing relationship
with Nortel Networks, which acts as both an equipment supplier and Teligent's
principal network integrator.
"We're delighted to welcome Hughes Network Systems to the Teligent family," said
Teligent Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alex J. Mandl. "In the past 18
months, we've built a strong platform for our local communications services with
network equipment supplied by Nortel and now we will be adding new equipment
from Hughes. Nortel will continue to be a key technology supplier and
integrator, working with Teligent to incorporate equipment from Hughes into
Teligent's facilities-based local networks." Teligent President and Chief
Operating Officer Kirby G. "Buddy" Pickle said the new Hughes product "will give
Teligent additional flexibility in our network deployment, enhance our radio
capabilities and create more competition in the broadband wireless equipment
marketplace." Pickle added: "That's good news for Teligent and for our
customers, because, as we've said many times, competition drives down costs and
enhances product performance."
Under the terms of the five-year agreement, Hughes will supply Teligent with its
AIReach(TM) broadband, point-to-multipoint microwave radios and supporting
electronics, to operate in Teligent's licensed spectrum band of 24 GHz. The
value of the contract could reach $250 million.
Like Teligent's existing equipment, the Hughes radios and electronics will
integrate voice and data traffic on an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) platform
for transmission from Teligent's customers to its switching facilities. Hughes
has designed the equipment to integrate access multiplexing into a single,
unified networking solution and provide high spectrum efficiency by transporting
information at speeds of 45 mbps into a 12.5 MHz radio frequency channel.
Teligent launched commercial communications services in its first 15 markets at
the end of 1998, and has initiated service in 11 additional markets so far this
year. The company expects to offer service in a total of 40 markets by year-end.
Those 40 markets comprise more than 575 cities and towns with a combined
population of more than 100 million.
With its SmartWave(TM) technology, Teligent delivers service by installing small
antennas on the roofs of customer buildings. When a customer picks up a
telephone, accesses the Internet or activates a videoconference, the signal
travels over inside wiring to Teligent's indoor electronics cabinet and from
there to the rooftop antenna. The antenna then relays the voice, data or video
signals, which are carried over an ATM platform, to a Teligent base station
antenna.
The base station gathers signals from a cluster of surrounding customer
buildings, aggregates the signals and then routes them to a Teligent broadband
switching center. At the switching center, Teligent uses ATM switches and data
routers along with Nortel DMS switches to hand off the traffic to other networks
- - the public circuit-switched voice network, the packet-switched Internet, and
private data networks.
Integrating advanced point-to-multipoint and point-to-point microwave radio
equipment with traditional broadband wireline technology, Teligent SmartWave(TM)
networks offer customers the advantages of lower costs and greater flexibility.
Based in Vienna, Va., Teligent, Inc. (NASDAQ: TGNT) is a full-service,
integrated communications company that is offering small and medium-sized
business customers local, long distance, high-speed data and dedicated Internet
services over its digital SmartWave(TM) local networks in 26 major markets.
Eventually, Teligent will expand service to 74 major metropolitan areas
throughout the United States. Teligent's offerings of regulated services are
subject to tariff approval.
Headquartered in Germantown, Md., near Washington, DC, with international sales
and support offices worldwide, Hughes Network Systems is a leading supplier of
wireless, satellite and enterprise network solutions. HNS is a unit of Hughes
Electronics Corporation. The earnings of Hughes Electronics are used to
calculate the earnings per share attributable to GMH (NYSE symbol) common stock.
For more information, visit the Teligent website at: www.teligent.com
For additional information about Hughes Network Systems, visit their web site
at: www.hns.com.
Teligent and SmartWave are trademarks of Teligent, Inc. AIReach is a trademark
of Hughes Network Systems, a unit of Hughes Electronics Corporation.
Except for any historical information, the matters discussed in this press
release contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties,
including but not limited to economic, key employee, competitive, governmental,
regulatory and technological factors affecting the company's growth, operations,
markets, products, services, licenses and other factors discussed in the
company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results
may vary materially due to these and other risks and uncertainties.