Hughes extends broadband availability to remote government offices

In an effort to provide government agencies and offices in remote locations with affordable broadband Internet service, Hughes Network Systems LLC has unveiled a group of services called Connect & Express for Government.

All Connect & Express for Government service plans include commercial-grade equipment, installation by certified professionals, and 24/7 U.S.-based technical support, according to the June 22 Hughes announcement.

Connect Service plans are best suited for small offices with one to two users and teleworkers; Hughes Express Service Plans are intended for medium and large government offices with multiple users, the announcement states.

"With Connect & Express for Government, these remote offices only need a view of the Southern sky — not a complex infrastructure of wires and cables —  to get cost-effective broadband Internet service, so they can confidently run the high-bandwidth applications to help them operate more efficiently and effectively," Tony Bardo, assistant vice president for government solutions at Hughes, said in the announcement.

Hughes, based in Germantown, Md., is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corp., a global provider of satellite operations and digital TV solutions.