STATEMENT BY R. DOUGLAS KAHN
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
PANAMSAT CORPORATION
24 MARCH 2000

Regarding President Clinton Signing S. 376, the "Open-Market Reorganization For The Betterment of International Telecommunications Act."

"PanAmSat is delighted that President Clinton has signed S. 376 ("ORBIT") into law. This is the culmination of decades of efforts to create a pro-competitive satellite communications industry, characterized by open markets and free of monopolistic governmental treaty organizations. When satellite technology was new, there may have been adequate reasons for government involvement, but those reasons ended a long time ago.

"The bill that the President has signed creates the proper market-based incentives to encourage Intelsat to privatize in a manner that will promote competition and benefit consumers. This law brings to an end the last remaining statutory monopoly in the U.S. telecommunications marketplace. The new law sets out a roadmap of reasonable and achievable requirements for Intelsat privatization, and uses access to the U.S. market as the incentive for pro-competitive privatization.

"PanAmSat was the world's first private satellite company to compete with Intelsat in the delivery of international satellite communications services. Since its inception, PanAmSat has fought for the principle of bringing competition to the satellite services marketplace. PanAmSat is proud to have taken a leadership role in pressing for the passage of this important pro-competitive legislation. We believe that ORBIT will help to open more markets to competition in satellite services, bringing with it more innovation, lower prices and better services.

"We are proud to have supported Chairman Bliley and Congressman Ed Markey in their efforts in the House fighting for competition in satellite services. We would also thank Chairman Conrad Burns of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, along with Senators Lott, Stevens and Hollings for their tireless work supporting pro-competitive legislation in the Senate. Their efforts, along with the work of Senators Inouye, Breaux, Dodd, Lieberman and McCain as well as Congressmen Dingell, Tauzin and Oxley, produced a compromise bill that was supported by the entire U.S. satellite industry.

"Enactment of S. 376 signals a new era for competition in the global satellite communications industry, including greater access to foreign markets for U.S. satellite companies. The American public can expect to benefit from lower costs and more innovative services. PanAmSat applauds the Administration's commitment to American consumers and industry alike in reforming the communication landscape and is gratified that the Administration as well as the 106th Congress have made international satellite reform a reality."