Rocket Carrying New 4G Broadband Satellite Successfully Launched

Xplornet Vastly Expands Canadian Rural Broadband!

WOODSTOCK, NB, July 6, 2012 /CNW/ - Xplornet Communications Inc. is pleased to announce the successful launch of EchoStar XVII, a Hughes 4G broadband satellite that will greatly expand Xplornet's 4G footprint across rural Canada.  The satellite was launched from French Guiana at 5:36 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday July 5th, 2012 into a geosynchronous orbit 35,888 kilometers above sea-level; high enough to get a clear view of the vast Canadian territory it will be covering.

A game-changer in terms of ubiquitous broadband access in Canada, EchoStar XVII will greatly expand Xplornet's 4G footprint across rural Canada, especially in British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.  The next-generation satellite is capable of providing Internet access to Canadians in rural and remote areas with download speeds up to 25 Mbps, and at monthly prices similar to what urban Canadians pay.  Together with Xplornet's national 4G terrestrial network and another recently launched 4G satellite, Xplornet will close Canada's urban/rural digital-divide for over 2 million of the 2.4 million Canadian households located in regions where wired broadband is unavailable.

Speaking from the launch site in French Guiana, John Maduri, Xplornet's Chief Executive Officer said "This launch marks an historic transformation for rural Canada.  Where before there was an urban/rural digital divide, that is now being overcome by this remarkable 4G technology.  Just as Canadians rely on satellites for coast to coast telephone connectivity, now they can look to the skies in terms of their digital connectivity.  We are plugging rural Canada in to the global digital economy."

Xplornet Communications Inc., Canada's leading provider of rural broadband, has purchased 100% of the Canadian capacity on the satellite, entirely for rural broadband use. Xplornet expects the satellite service to be available to Canadians in the fourth quarter of this year.

"Our investment of hundreds of millions in rural broadband infrastructure is unprecedented. And now we can say with confidence that we have eliminated the digital divide for 2 million Canadian households located in regions where wired broadband is not available.  This is a momentous change for Canada" said Maduri.

About Xplornet Communications Inc.

Headquartered in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Xplornet Communications Inc. (formerly Barrett Xplore Inc.) is Canada's leading rural broadband provider.  We believe everyone should have access to the transformative benefits of broadband, so we make our service available everywhere in Canada, including the hard to reach places.  We overcome the challenges of Canada's vast geography through our deployment of Canada's first national 4G network, which leverages both fixed-wireless towers on the ground and next-generation satellites in space.  Our customers live in the farthest reaches of the country and just outside of major urban centres, and through our coast-to-coast network of local dealers we connect them to all that the Internet offers.  Xplornet is high-speed Internet - for all of Canada.

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Video with caption: "Rocket Carrying New 4G Broadband Satellite Successfully Launched Xplornet Vastly Expands Canadian Rural Broadband!". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120706_C6647_VIDEO_EN_16036.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120706_C6647_PHOTO_EN_16036.jpg&clientName=Xplornet%20Communications%20Inc%2E&caption=Rocket%20Carrying%20New%204G%20Broadband%20Satellite%20Successfully%20Launched%0D%0AXplornet%20Vastly%20Expands%20Canadian%20Rural%20Broadband%21&title=XPLORNET%20COMMUNICATIONS%20INC%2E%20%2D%20Rocket%20Carrying%20New%204G%20Broadband%20Satellite%20Successfully%20Launched&headline=Rocket%20Carrying%20New%204G%20Broadband%20Satellite%20Successfully%20Launched

Video with caption: "The Launch of EchoStar XVII launched From French Guiana". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120706_C6647_VIDEO_EN_16037.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120706_C6647_PHOTO_EN_16037.jpg&clientName=Xplornet%20Communications%20Inc%2E&caption=The%20Launch%20of%20EchoStar%20XVII%20launched%20From%20French%20Guiana&title=XPLORNET%20COMMUNICATIONS%20INC%2E%20%2D%20Rocket%20Carrying%20New%204G%20Broadband%20Satellite%20Successfully%20Launched&headline=Rocket%20Carrying%20New%204G%20Broadband%20Satellite%20Successfully%20Launched

Image with caption: "An Ariane-5 rocket which will carry a new 4G broadband satellite to be used by Xplornet sits on a launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana on July 4th, the evening prior to its launch. (CNW Group/Xplornet Communications Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120706_C6647_PHOTO_EN_16032.jpg

Image with caption: "An Ariane-5 rocket which will carry a new 4G broadband satellite to be used by Xplornet sits on a launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana on July 4th, the evening prior to its launch. (CNW Group/Xplornet Communications Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120706_C6647_PHOTO_EN_16034.jpg

Image with caption: "An artists rendering of EchoStar XVII, a new broadband satellite to be used by Xplornet. Image courtesy of Space Systems/Loral. (CNW Group/Xplornet Communications Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120706_C6647_PHOTO_EN_16028.jpg

Image with caption: "New 4G Broadband Satellite EchoStar XVII, which will be used by Xplornet to provide high-speed Internet to rural Canada, during construction and testing. (CNW Group/Xplornet Communications Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120706_C6647_PHOTO_EN_16030.jpg

Image with caption: "On July 5, 2012, an Ariane-5 rocket carrying the EchoStar XVII broadband satellite to be used by Xplornet was launched from Kourou, French Guiana. (CNW Group/Xplornet Communications Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120706_C6647_PHOTO_EN_16038.jpg

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