ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORP
8-K, 1999-12-20
CABLE & OTHER PAY TELEVISION SERVICES
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<PAGE>   1





                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                    CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR
                       15(d) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1934



       DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): December 17, 1999
                               (December 2, 1999)


                       ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
                       -----------------------------------
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                       Nevada                         0-26176                   88-0336997
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                            <C>                       <C>
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION) (COMMISSION FILE NUMBER) (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
</TABLE>




                5701 S. SANTA FE DRIVE, LITTLETON, COLORADO 80120
                -------------------------------------------------
              (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES) (ZIP CODE)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (303) 723-1000



          ------------------------------------------------------------
         (FORMER NAME OR FORMER ADDRESS, IF CHANGED SINCE LAST REPORT.)



<PAGE>   2



ITEM 5.           OTHER EVENTS

         In conformity with the requirements of the Integrated Disclosure
System, EchoStar Communications Corporation has elected to file by this Report
of Form 8-K certain exhibits in connection with EchoStar's Registration
Statement of Form S-3, Registration No. 333-88755, as amended by Amendment No.
1, which was declared effective on October 29, 1999.


ITEM 7.           EXHIBITS INDEX

Exhibit           Description
- -------           -----------
1.1               Underwriting Agreement, dated December 2, 1999, among EchoStar
                  Communications Corporation, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
                  Securities Corporation, Allen & Company Incorporated, Credit
                  Suisse First Boston Corporation, and Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
                  Fenner & Smith Incorporated



                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                            ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION


Date: December 16, 1999


                                            By  /s/ Doron Gorshein
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Doron Gorshein, Vice President
                                                and Associate General Counsel


<PAGE>   3
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit           Description
- -------           -----------
1.1               Underwriting Agreement, dated December 2, 1999, among EchoStar
                  Communications Corporation, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
                  Securities Corporation, Allen & Company Incorporated, Credit
                  Suisse First Boston Corporation, and Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
                  Fenner & Smith Incorporated




<PAGE>   1



                                   EXHIBIT 1.1

                                                                 EXECUTION COPY


                                13,800,000 Shares

                       ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

                                  Common Stock

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

                                                               December 2, 1999


DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
         SECURITIES CORPORATION
ALLEN & COMPANY INCORPORATED
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
         INCORPORATED
As representatives of the several Underwriters
         named in Schedule I hereto
c/o Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation
277 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10172

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         Certain stockholders of EchoStar Communications Corporation, a Nevada
corporation (the "COMPANY"), named in Schedule II hereto (the "SELLERS")
severally propose to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
(the "UNDERWRITERS"), the number of Firm Shares (as defined below) set forth
opposite such Seller's name in Schedule II hereto, constituting an aggregate of
12,000,000 shares of the Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the
Company (the "FIRM SHARES"), all of which such Shares are to be sold by the
Sellers, each Seller selling the amount set forth opposite such Seller's name in
Schedule II hereto. The Sellers also propose to sell to the several Underwriters
not more than an additional 1,800,000 shares of the Class A Common Stock, par
value $.01 per share, of the Company (the "ADDITIONAL SHARES") if requested by
the Underwriters as provided in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the
Additional Shares are hereinafter referred to collectively as the "SHARES". The
shares of common stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to
the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the "COMMON STOCK".



<PAGE>   2



SECTION 1. Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company has prepared and
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "COMMISSION") in
accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the
"ACT"), a registration statement on Form S-3, including a related prospectus,
and each supplement thereto, relating to the Shares. The Company will cause the
prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto, to be filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will
provide the Underwriters with satisfactory evidence of timely filing. The
Company has complied with the conditions for the use of Form S-3. The
registration statement, as amended, at the time it became effective, including
the exhibits thereto, the information incorporated by reference therein and the
information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time
of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 461(a) under the Act, is hereinafter referred
to as the "REGISTRATION STATEMENT"; and the prospectus, including any prospectus
supplement thereto relating to the Shares, in the form first used to confirm
sales of Shares is hereinafter referred to as the "PROSPECTUS". If the Company
has filed or is required pursuant to the terms hereof to file a registration
statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act registering additional shares of
Common Stock (a "RULE 462(b) REGISTRATION STATEMENT"), then, unless otherwise
specified, any reference herein to the term "Registration Statement" shall be
deemed to include such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.

         SECTION 2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase and Lock-Up Agreements. On
the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants contained in this
Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, (i) each Seller agrees,
severally and not jointly, to sell the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite
such Seller's name in Schedule II hereto and (ii) each Underwriter agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from each Seller at a price per Share of
$71.00 (the "PURCHASE PRICE") the number of Firm Shares (subject to such
adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the
same proportion to the total number of Firm Shares to be sold by such Seller as
the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in
Schedule I hereto bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

         On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, (i) each Seller agrees,
severally and not jointly, to sell the Additional Shares set forth opposite such
Seller's name in Schedule II hereto and (ii) the Underwriters shall have the
right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 1,800,000 Additional Shares
from the Sellers at the Purchase Price. Additional Shares may be purchased
solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the
offering of the Firm Shares. The Underwriters may exercise their right to
purchase Additional Shares in whole or in part from time to time by giving
written notice thereof to the Sellers within 30 days after the date of this
Agreement. You shall give any such notice on behalf of the Underwriters and such
notice shall specify the aggregate


<PAGE>   3



number of Additional Shares to be purchased pursuant to such exercise and the
date for payment and delivery thereof, which date shall be a business day (i) no
earlier than two business days after such notice has been given (and, in any
event, no earlier than the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined)) and (ii) no
later than ten business days after such notice has been given. If any Additional
Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees
to purchase from the Sellers the number of Additional Shares (subject to such
adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) which bears the
same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased from
the Sellers as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter in Schedule I bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

         Each of the Sellers agrees not to (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to
sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract
to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer
or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any
securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or
(ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers all or a portion of
the economic consequences associated with the ownership of any Common Stock
(regardless of whether any of the transactions described in clause (i) or (ii)
is to be settled by the delivery of Common Stock, or such other securities, in
cash or otherwise), except to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, for a
period of 180 days after the date of the Closing Date (as defined below) without
the prior written consent of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation
and the Company, which consent the Company may withhold in its sole discretion.
Each Seller agrees that, for a period of 180 days after the date of the
Prospectus without the prior written consent of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Securities Corporation, it will not make any demand for, or exercise any right
with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any
securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.
Each Seller shall, prior to or concurrently with the execution of this
Agreement, deliver an agreement executed by such Seller to the effect that such
person will not, during the period commencing on the date such person signs such
agreement and ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, without the
prior written consent of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Corporation, (A) engage in
any of the transactions described in the first sentence of this paragraph or (B)
make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of
any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Common Stock; provided, that any such agreement shall not
relieve any other obligation such Seller otherwise has to the Company.

         SECTION 3. Terms of Public Offering. The Sellers are advised by you
that the Underwriters propose (i) to make a public offering of their respective
portions of the Shares as soon after the execution and delivery of this
Agreement as in your judgment is advisable and (ii) initially to offer the
Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.


<PAGE>   4


         SECTION 4. Delivery and Payment. The Shares shall be represented by
definitive certificates and shall be issued in such authorized denominations and
registered in such names as Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation
shall request no later than two business days prior to the Closing Date or the
applicable Option Closing Date (as defined below), as the case may be. The
Shares shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Sellers, with any transfer
taxes thereon duly paid by the respective Sellers, to Donaldson, Lufkin &
Jenrette Securities Corporation through the facilities of The Depository Trust
Company ("DTC"), for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters,
against payment to the Sellers of the Purchase Price therefore by wire transfer
of Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City. The
certificates representing the Shares shall be made available for inspection not
later than 9:30 A.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the
Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, at the
office of DTC or its designated custodian (the "DESIGNATED OFFICE"). The time
and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Shares shall be 9:00 A.M., New
York City time, on December 8, 1999 or such other time on the same or such other
date as Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation and the Sellers
shall agree in writing. The time and date of delivery and payment for the Firm
Shares are hereinafter referred to as the "CLOSING DATE". The time and date of
delivery and payment for any Additional Shares to be purchased by the
Underwriters shall be 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in
the applicable exercise notice given by you pursuant to Section 2 or such other
time on the same or such other date as Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities
Corporation and the Sellers shall agree in writing. The time and date of
delivery and payment for any Additional Shares are hereinafter referred to as an
"OPTION CLOSING DATE".

         The documents to be delivered on the Closing Date or any Option Closing
Date on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement
shall be delivered at the offices of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, 399
Park Avenue, New York, New York and the Shares shall be delivered at the
Designated Office, all on the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as the
case may be.

         SECTION 5.  Agreements of the Company.  The Company agrees with you:

         (a) To advise you promptly and, if requested by you, to confirm such
advice in writing, (i) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the
Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or for
additional information, (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the suspension
of qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the
initiation of any proceeding for such purposes, (iii) when any amendment to the
Registration Statement becomes effective, (iv) if the Company is required to
file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement after the effectiveness of this
Agreement, when the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has become effective and
(v) of the happening of any event during the period referred to in Section 5(d)
below which


<PAGE>   5



makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus untrue or which requires any additions to or changes in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein
not misleading. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the Company will use
its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at
the earliest possible time.

          (b) To furnish to you five photocopies of signed copies of the
Registration Statement as first filed with the Commission and of each amendment
to it, including all exhibits, and to furnish to you and each Underwriter
designated by you such number of conformed copies of the Registration Statement
as so filed and of each amendment to it, without exhibits, as you may reasonably
request.

          (c) To prepare the Prospectus, the form and substance of which shall
be satisfactory to you, and to file the Prospectus in such form with the
Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Act;
during the period specified in Section 5(d) below, not to file any further
amendment to the Registration Statement and not to make any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus of which you shall not previously have been advised
or to which you shall reasonably object after being so advised; provided, that
the Company shall have the right to make such further amendments as are required
by law to be made and shall forthwith notify you of any such amendment; and,
during such period, to prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon your
reasonable request, any amendment to the Registration Statement or amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus which may be necessary or advisable in connection
with the distribution of the Shares by you, and to use its reasonable best
efforts to cause any such amendment to the Registration Statement to become
promptly effective.

          (d) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the first business day
after the date of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter for such
period as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus is
required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or a
dealer, to furnish in New York City to each Underwriter and any dealer as many
copies of the Prospectus (and of any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus)
as such Underwriter or dealer may reasonably request.

          (e) If during the period specified in Section 5(d), any event shall
occur or condition shall exist as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel
for the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when
the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the
opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement
the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare and file with
the Commission an appropriate amendment or supplement to the Prospectus so that


<PAGE>   6


the statements in the Prospectus, as so amended or supplemented, will not in the
light of the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that
the Prospectus will comply with applicable law, and to furnish to each
Underwriter and to any dealer as many copies thereof as such Underwriter or
dealer may reasonably request in writing.

          (f) Prior to any public offering of the Shares, to cooperate with you
and counsel for the Underwriters at the expense of the Sellers in connection
with the registration or qualification of the Shares for offer and sale by the
several Underwriters and by dealers under the state securities or Blue Sky laws
of such jurisdictions as you may request, to continue such registration or
qualification in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares and
to file such consents to service of process or other documents as may be
necessary in order to effect such registration or qualification; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to
register or qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it is
not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to general
consent to service of process or taxation other than as to matters and
transactions relating to the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the offering or sale of the Shares, in any
jurisdiction in which it is not now so subject.

          (g) To mail and make generally available to its stockholders as soon
as practicable an earnings statement covering the twelve-month period ending
December 31, 2000 that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act,
and to advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available.

          (h) During the period of three years after the date of this Agreement,
to furnish to you upon your written request copies of all reports or other
communications furnished to the record holders of Common Stock or furnished to
or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any
class of securities of the Company is listed and such other publicly available
information concerning the Company and its subsidiaries as you may reasonably
request.

          (i) To use its best efforts to list for quotation the Shares on the
Nasdaq National Market and to maintain the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq
National Market for a period of three years after the date of this Agreement.

          (j) To use its reasonable best efforts to do and perform all things
required or necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by the
Company prior to the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Shares.

          (k) If the Registration Statement at the time of the effectiveness of
this Agreement does not cover all of the Shares, to file a Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement with the Commission registering the Shares not so covered
in


<PAGE>   7


compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of
this Agreement.

         SECTION 6. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to each Underwriter and each Seller that:

         (a) The Registration Statement has become effective (other than any
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the
effectiveness of this Agreement); any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement filed
after the effectiveness of this Agreement will become effective no later than
10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement; and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no
proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission.

         (b)(i) The Registration Statement (other than any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the effectiveness of
this Agreement), when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended, if
applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement (other than
any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the
effectiveness of this Agreement) and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or
supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Act,
including the conditions for use of Form S-3, (iii) if the Company is required
to file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement after the effectiveness of this
Agreement, such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments thereto,
when they become effective (A) will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (B) will comply in
all material respects with the Act and (iv) the Prospectus does not contain and,
as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth
in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter
furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly
for use therein or with respect to the information described in Section 7(h)
hereof.

         (c) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration
statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed
pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, complied when so filed in all material
respects with the Act, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not



<PAGE>   8






misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this
paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in any preliminary prospectus
based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in
writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein or with
respect to the information described in Section 7(h) hereof.

         (d) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the corporate power and
authority to carry on its business as described in the Prospectus and to own,
lease and operate its properties, and each is duly qualified and is in good
standing as a foreign corporation authorized to do business in each jurisdiction
in which the nature of its business or its ownership or leasing of property
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be in good standing or
so qualified would not have a material adverse effect on the business,
prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a "MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT").

         (e) There are no outstanding subscriptions, rights, warrants, options,
calls, convertible securities, commitments of sale or liens granted or issued by
the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to or entitling any person to
purchase or otherwise to acquire any shares of the capital stock of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries, except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration
Statement.

         (f) All the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
(including the Shares to be sold by the Sellers) have been duly authorized and
validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and not subject to any
preemptive or similar rights; and the Shares to be sold by the Sellers have been
duly authorized and, when issued and delivered to the Underwriters against
payment therefor as provided by this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable.

         (g) The entities listed on Schedule B hereto are the only subsidiaries,
direct or indirect, of the Company. All of the outstanding shares of capital
stock of each of the Company's subsidiaries have been duly authorized and
validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and are owned by the
Company, directly or indirectly through one or more subsidiaries, free and clear
of any security interest, claim, lien, encumbrance or adverse interest of any
nature (each, a "LIEN").

         (h) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal
matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.

         (i) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus,
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its
respective charter or by-laws or in default in the performance of any
obligation, agreement,



<PAGE>   9


covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage,
lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their
respective property is bound.

         (j) Each of this Agreement and the instruments contemplated herein to
which the Company is a party (collectively, the "OPERATIVE DOCUMENTS") has been
duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the
Company and has been executed and delivered by the Company.

         (k) Each of the Operative Documents will be legal, valid and binding
agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their respective terms except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited
by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws effecting creditors' rights generally
and (ii) rights of acceleration and availability of equitable remedies may be
limited by equitable principles of general applicability. On the Closing Date
each of the Operative Documents will conform as to legal matters at the
description thereof in the Prospectus.

         (l) The execution, delivery and performance of the Operative Documents
by the Company and compliance by the Company with all provisions hereof and
thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
will not require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or
qualification with, any court or governmental body or agency and will not
conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a
default under, the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or
instrument that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which
the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound, or
violate or conflict with any applicable law or any rule, regulation, judgment,
order or decree of any court or any governmental body or agency having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective
property, or result in the imposition or creation of (or the obligation to
create or impose) a Lien under, any agreement or instrument to which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them is bound, or
to which any properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be
subject, or result in the termination or revocation of any Authorization (as
defined) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or result in any other
impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Authorization.

         (m) To the best knowledge of the Company, except as set forth in the
Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened
to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or could be a party or to
which any of their respective property is or could be subject, which might
result, singly or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.


<PAGE>   10


         (n) To the best knowledge of the Company, no action has been taken and
no law, statute, rule or regulation or order has been enacted, adopted or issued
by any governmental agency or body which prevents the execution, delivery and
performance of any of the Operative Documents, the sale of the Shares or
suspends the sale of the Shares in any applicable jurisdiction; and no
injunction, restraining order or other order or relief of any nature by a
federal or state court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction has been
issued with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which would
prevent or suspend the sale of the Shares in any applicable jurisdiction.

         (o) To the best knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any
of its subsidiaries has violated any foreign, federal, state or local law or
regulation relating to the protection of human health and safety, the
environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or
contaminants ("ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS"), any provisions of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA") or the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder, except for such violations which, singly or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

         (p) To the best knowledge of the Company, there are no costs or
liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation,
any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of
properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any Authorization, any
related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to
third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect.

         (q) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, each of the Company and its
subsidiaries has such permits, licenses, consents, exemptions, franchises,
authorizations and other approvals (each, an "AUTHORIZATION") of, and has made
all filings with and notices to, all governmental or regulatory authorities and
self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, including,
without limitation, under any applicable Environmental Laws, as are necessary to
own, lease, license and operate its respective properties and to conduct its
business, except where the failure to have any such Authorization or to make any
such filing or notice would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, each such Authorization
is valid and in full force and effect and each of the Company and its
subsidiaries is in compliance with all the terms and conditions thereof and with
the rules and regulations of the authorities and governing bodies having
jurisdiction with respect thereto except where such failure to comply would not
have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as set forth in the Prospectus, no
event has occurred (including, without limitation, the receipt of any notice
from any authority or governing body) which allows or, after notice or lapse of
time or both, would allow, revocation, suspension or termination of any such
Authorization or result or, after notice or lapse of time or both, would result
in any other impairment of


<PAGE>   11


the rights of the holder of any such Authorization except where any such event
would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and such Authorizations contain no
restrictions that are burdensome to the Company or any of its subsidiaries;
except where such failure to be valid and in full force and effect or to be in
compliance, the occurrence of any such event or the presence of any such
restriction would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect.

         (r) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in
fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal
property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and the
its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens and defects, except
such as are described in the Prospectus or such others as do not, singly or in
the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and
the Company's subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease
by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and
enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the
Company and its subsidiaries, in each case, except as described in the
Prospectus.

         (s) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, the Company and its
subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, all patents,
patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade
secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names
("INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY") currently employed by them in connection with the
business now operated by them, except where the failure to own or possess or
otherwise be able to acquire such intellectual property would not, singly or in
the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and, except as set forth in the
Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the Company's subsidiaries has
received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of
others with respect to any of such intellectual property which, singly or in the
aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would
have a Material Adverse Effect.

         (t) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, the Company and each of its
subsidiaries is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility
against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary
in the businesses in which they are engaged; and neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries (i) has received notice from any insurer or agent of such
insurer that substantial capital improvements or other material expenditures
will have to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) has any reason
to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as
and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar
insurers at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.



<PAGE>   12

         (u) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, no relationship, direct or
indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the
one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other hand, which are required by
the Act to be described in the Prospectus.

         (v) To the best knowledge of the Company there is no (i) significant
unfair labor practice complaint, grievance or arbitration proceeding pending or
threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries before the National
Labor Relations Board or any state or local labor relations board, (ii) strike,
labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or threatened against the Company or
any of its subsidiaries or (iii) union representation question existing with
respect to the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except in
the case of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) for such actions which, singly or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the best knowledge of
the Company, no collective bargaining organizing activities are taking place
with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except for such actions
specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, which, singly or in the aggregate,
would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

         (w) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains a system of
internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to
assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.

         (x) All material tax returns required to be filed by the Company and
each of its subsidiaries in any jurisdiction have been filed, other than those
filings being contested in good faith, and all material taxes, including
withholding taxes, penalties and interest, assessments, fees and other charges
due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the
Company or any of its subsidiaries have been paid, other than those being
contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been provided.

         (y) The accountants, Arthur Andersen LLP, that have certified the
financial statements and supporting schedules incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement are independent public accountants with respect to the
Company, as required by the Act and the Exchange Act. The historical financial
statements, together with related schedules and notes, incorporated by reference
in the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the
requirements applicable to registration statements on Form S-3 under the Act.


<PAGE>   13

         (z) The consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement
thereto), together with related schedules and notes, present fairly the
consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in financial
position of the Company and its subsidiaries on the basis stated therein at the
respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply; such
statements and related schedules and notes have been prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the
periods involved, except as disclosed therein; and the other financial and
statistical information and data set forth in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) are, in all material
respects, accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the
financial statements and books and records of the Company.

         (aa) The Company is not an "investment company", as such term is
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

         (bb) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any agent
thereof acting on the behalf of them has taken, and none of them will take, any
action that might cause this Agreement or the sale of the Shares to violate
Regulation G (12 C.F.R. Part 207), Regulation T (12 C.F.R. Part 220), Regulation
U (12 C.F.R. Part 221) or Regulation X (12 C.F.R. Part 224) of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

         (cc) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Prospectus other than as set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement), (i)
there has not occurred any material adverse change or any development involving
a prospective material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise,
or the earnings, business, management or operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) there has not been any material adverse
change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the
capital stock or in the long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any
material liability or obligation, direct or contingent.

         (dd) The Company has complied with all provisions of Section 517.075,
Florida Statutes (Chapter 92-198, Laws of Florida).

         (ee) Each certificate signed by any officer of the Company and
delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to
be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the
matters covered thereby.


<PAGE>   14

         (ff) Neither the Company nor any of the Company's subsidiaries has
taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or that might reasonably
be expected to, cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of
any security of the Company or any of the Company's subsidiaries to facilitate
the sale or resale of the Shares.

         (gg) Other than this Agreement and as set forth on Exhibit A, there are
no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person
granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration
statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to
require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered
pursuant to the Registration Statement.

         (hh) Except for the Shares being offered by the Sellers pursuant to
this Agreement, there are no holders of securities of either the Company or any
of its subsidiaries who, by reason of the filing or the execution by the Company
of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein,
have the right to request or demand that the Company or any subsidiary of the
Company register under the Act securities held by them.

         (ii) To the best knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries and
except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, all
Information Systems and Equipment (defined below) are either Year 2000 Compliant
(as defined below), or any reprogramming, remediation, or any other corrective
action, including the internal testing of all such Information Systems and
Equipment, will be completed by December 31, 1999 except for any failure to be
Year 2000 Compliant and any reprogramming, remediation or other corrective
action not completed by December 31, 1999, that could not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the best knowledge each of the Company and
its subsidiaries and except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, to the extent that such reprogramming/remediation and testing action
is required, the cost thereof, as well as the cost of the reasonably foreseeable
consequences of failure to become Year 2000 Compliant, to the Company and its
subsidiaries (including, without limitation, reprogramming errors and the
failure of other systems or equipment) could not reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect.

         "Year 2000 Compliant" means that all Information Systems and Equipment
accurately process date data (including, but not limited to, calculating,
comparing and sequencing), before, during and after the Year 2000, as well as
same and multi-century dates, or between the years 1999 and 2000, taking into
account all leap years, including the fact that the year 2000 is a leap year,
and further, that when used in combination with, or interfacing with, other
Information Systems and Equipment, shall accurately accept, release and exchange
date data, and shall in all material respects continue to function in the


<PAGE>   15


same manner as it performs today and shall not otherwise impair in any material
respect the accuracy or functionality of Information Systems and Equipment.

         "Information Systems and Equipment" shall mean all computer hardware,
firmware and software, as well as other information processing systems, or any
equipment containing embedded microchips, whether directly owned, licensed,
leased, operated or otherwise controlled by the Company and its subsidiaries,
including through third-party service providers, and which, in whole or in part,
are used, operated, relied upon, or integral to, the conduct of the business of
the Company or its subsidiaries; provided that Information Systems and Equipment
does not include any of the foregoing of any third party customer or vendor
which is not owned, licensed, leased, operated or otherwise controlled by the
Company and its subsidiaries.

         The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters and, for purposes of the
opinions to be delivered to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 9 hereof,
counsel to the Company and counsel to the Underwriters will rely upon the
accuracy and truth of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such
reliance.

         SECTION 7. Representations and Warranties of the Sellers. Each Seller,
severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to each Underwriter and the
Company that:

         (a) Such Seller is the lawful owner of the Shares to be sold by such
Seller pursuant to this Agreement and has, and on the Closing Date will have,
good and clear title to such Shares, free of all restrictions on transfer,
liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities and claims whatsoever.

         (b) Such Seller has, and on the Closing Date will have, full legal
right, power and authority, and all authorizations and approvals required by
law, to enter into this Agreement, and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the
Shares to be sold by such Seller in the manner provided herein.

         (c) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
or on behalf of such Seller.

         (d) [intentionally omitted].

         (e) [intentionally omitted].

         (f) Upon delivery of and payment for the Shares to be sold by such
Seller pursuant to this Agreement, good and clear title to such Shares will pass
to the Underwriters, free of all restrictions on transfer, liens, encumbrances,
security interests, equities and claims whatsoever.


<PAGE>   16


         (g) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the
compliance by such Seller with all the provisions hereof and thereof and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (i)
require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or qualification
with, any court or governmental body or agency (except such as may be required
under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states), (ii) conflict with
or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a default under,
the organizational documents of such Seller, or any material indenture, loan
agreement, mortgage, lease or other material agreement or instrument to which
such Seller is a party or by which such Seller or any property of such Seller is
bound or (iii) violate or conflict with any applicable law or any rule,
regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court or any governmental body or
agency having jurisdiction over such Seller or any property of such Seller.

         (h) The information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
under the caption "Selling Shareholders", "Plan of Distribution" and
"Underwriting" which specifically relates to such Seller does not, and will not
on the Closing Date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.

         (i) At any time during the period described in Section 5(d), if there
is any change in the information referred to in Section 7(h), such Seller will
immediately notify you of such change.

         (j) Each certificate signed by or on behalf of such Seller and
delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to
be a representation and warranty by such Seller to the Underwriters as to the
matters covered thereby.

SECTION 8. Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each Underwriter, its directors, its officers and each person, if any,
who controls such Underwriters within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or
Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "EXCHANGE
ACT"), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
judgments (the "LOSSES") (including, without limitation, any legal or other
expenses incurred in connection with defending or investigating any matter,
including any action that could give rise to any such Losses) caused by any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, except insofar as such Losses are caused by (i) any such
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon
information relating to such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by
such Underwriters (or the failure of the


<PAGE>   17


Underwriters to deliver any such document in a timely manner) or (ii) any such
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon
the information described in Section 7(h) hereof.

         (b) Each of the Sellers, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, its officers and each person,
if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act
or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all Losses caused by
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto) or any preliminary prospectus, or caused by any
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but
only insofar as such Losses are caused by any such untrue statement or omission
or alleged untrue statement or based upon information relating to such Seller
furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of such Seller expressly for
use therein; provided that the aggregate liability of any Seller pursuant to
this Section 8(b) shall be limited to an amount equal to the total proceeds
(after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses) received
by such Seller from the Underwriters for the sale of the Shares sold by such
Seller hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnity of the Sellers
contained in this Section 8(b) shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter
(or other indemnified party, as defined below) if the untrue statement or
omission of material fact contained in the preliminary prospectus was corrected
on a timely basis in the Prospectus.

         (c) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify
and hold harmless the Company and its respective directors and officers and each
person who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20
of the Exchange Act) the Company, each Seller and each person, if any, who
controls such Seller within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20
of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the
Company to such Underwriters but only with reference to information relating to
such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by such Underwriters
expressly for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

         (d) In case any action shall be commenced involving any person in
respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b) (the
"INDEMNIFIED PARTY"), the indemnified party shall promptly notify the person
against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "INDEMNIFYING PARTY") in writing
and the indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such action, including
the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party and
the payment of all fees and expenses of such counsel, as incurred (except that
in the case of any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant
to Section 8(c) and either or both of Section 8(a) and Section 8(b), the


<PAGE>   18


Underwriter shall not be required to assume the defense of such action pursuant
to this Section 8(d), but may employ separate counsel and participate in the
defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel, except as provided
below, shall be at the expense of such Underwriter). Any indemnified party shall
have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in
the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
expense of the indemnified party unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall
have been specifically authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (ii) the
indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense of such action or
employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iii) the
named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both
the indemnified party and the indemnifying party, and the indemnified party
shall have been advised by such counsel that there may be one or more legal
defenses available to it which are different from or additional to those
available to the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party shall
not have the right to assume the defense of such action on behalf of the
indemnified party). In any such case, the indemnifying party shall not, in
connection with any one action or separate but substantially similar or related
actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate
firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) for all indemnified parties
and all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the
case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters, their officers and
directors and such control persons of any Underwriters, such firm shall be
designated in writing by Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation. In
the case of any such separate firm for the Company and such directors, officers
and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by
the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for the Sellers and such
control persons of any Sellers, such firm shall be designated in writing by the
Sellers. The indemnifying party shall indemnify and hold harmless the
indemnified party from and against any and all Losses by reason of any
settlement of any action (i) effected with its written consent or (ii) effected
without its written consent if the settlement is entered into more than twenty
business days after the indemnifying party shall have received a request from
the indemnified party for reimbursement for the fees and expenses of counsel (in
any case where such fees and expenses are at the expense of the indemnifying
party) and, prior to the date of such settlement, the indemnifying party shall
have failed to comply with such reimbursement request. No indemnifying party
shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any
settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of judgment with respect
to, any pending or threatened action in respect of which the indemnified party
is or could have been a party and indemnity or contribution may be or could have
been sought hereunder by the indemnified party, unless such settlement,
compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified
party from all liability on claims that are or could have been the subject
matter of such action and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an
admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of the
indemnified party.


<PAGE>   19


          (e) To the extent the indemnification provided for in this Section 8
is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such Losses (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and the indemnified party on the
other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(e)(i)
above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect not only the relative fault referred to in clause 8(e)(i) above but
also the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party on the one hand
and the indemnified party on the other hand from the offering of the Shares. The
relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the
indemnifying party or the indemnified party and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission. As between each Seller and the Underwriters, the relative
benefits received by such parties shall be deemed to be in the same proportion
as the total net proceeds from the offering (after deducting expenses) received
by such Seller, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by
the Underwriters, bear to the total price to the public of such Shares, in each
case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. As between
the Company and the Underwriters, the relative benefits shall be evaluated in
the context, among other things, of the services performed by the Underwriters
pursuant to this Agreement allowing the Company to fulfill its contractual
obligations to the Sellers and the aggregate benefits received by the Company
therefrom.

         The Sellers, the Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not
be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(e) were
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one
entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately
preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a
result of the Losses referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be
deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or
other expenses incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any matter, including any action, that could have
given rise to such Losses. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount
by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed
to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which
such Underwriter has otherwise been required


<PAGE>   20


to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission, and no Seller shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the amount equal to the total proceeds (after deducting underwriting
discounts and commissions and expenses) received by such Seller from the
Underwriters for the sale of the Shares sold by such Seller hereunder, less the
amount of any indemnification payment made pursuant to Section 8(b) herein. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to
contribute pursuant to this Section 8(e) are several in proportion to the
respective number of Shares purchased by each of the Underwriters hereunder and
not joint.

         (f) The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and
shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any
indemnified party at law or in equity, and, as between each of the Sellers and
the Company, shall not supersede or otherwise affect any agreement between such
parties with respect to indemnification or contribution.

         (g) News Corporation hereby designates Arthur M. Siskind, Senior
Executive Vice President and General Counsel, News America Incorporated, 1211
Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, and MCI WorldCom Network
Services, Inc. hereby designates Michael Salsbury, Esq., General Counsel, MCI
Telecommunications Corporation, 1801 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20006 , as its authorized agent, upon which process may be served in any action
which may be instituted in any state or federal court in the State of New York
by any Underwriter, any director or officer of any Underwriter or any person
controlling any Underwriter asserting a claim for indemnification or
contribution under or pursuant to this Section 8, and each Seller will accept
the jurisdiction of such court in such action, and waives, to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law, any defense based upon lack of personal
jurisdiction or venue. A copy of any such process shall be sent or given to such
Seller, at the address for notices specified in Section 12 hereof.

         SECTION 9. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The several
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Shares under this Agreement are
subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:

         (a) All the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
this Agreement shall be true and correct on the Closing Date with the same force
and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date.

         (b) If the Company is required to file a Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement after the effectiveness of this Agreement, such Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., New York City
time, on the date of this Agreement; and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no


<PAGE>   21


proceedings for that purpose shall have been commenced or shall be pending
before or contemplated by the Commission.

         (c) You shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate dated the
Closing Date, signed by the President and the Chief Executive Officer of the
Company, confirming the matters set forth in Sections 6(cc), 9(a) and 9(b) and
that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of
the conditions herein contained and required to be complied with or satisfied by
the Company on or prior to the Closing Date.

         (d) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Prospectus other than as set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement), (i)
there shall not have occurred any change or any development involving a
prospective change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings,
business, management or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole, (ii) there shall not have been any change or any development involving
a prospective change in the capital stock or in the long-term debt of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries shall have incurred any liability or obligation, direct or
contingent, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause 9(d)(i),
9(d)(ii) or 9(d)(iii), in your judgment, is material and adverse and, in your
judgment, makes it impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the
manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

         (e) All the representations and warranties of each Seller contained in
this Agreement shall be true and correct on the Closing Date with the same force
and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date and you shall have received
on the Closing Date a certificate dated the Closing Date from each Seller to
such effect and to the effect that such Seller has complied with all of the
agreements and satisfied all of the conditions herein contained and required to
be complied with or satisfied by such Seller on or prior to the Closing Date.

         (f) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion
(satisfactory to you and counsel for the Underwriters), dated the Closing Date,
of Friedlob Sanderson Raskin Paulson & Tourtillott, LLC (who may rely, as to
matters governed by Nevada law, on the opinion of Hale Lane Peek Dennison Howard
and Anderson), counsel for the Company, to the effect that:

                  (i) The Company and each of its subsidiaries has been duly
         incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
         under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the
         corporate power and authority to carry on its business as described in
         the Prospectus and to own, lease and operate its properties as
         described therein;


<PAGE>   22


                 (ii) The Company and each its subsidiaries is duly qualified
         and is in good standing as a foreign corporation authorized to do
         business in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or
         its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification,
         except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a Material
         Adverse Effect;

                (iii) All the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
         have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid,
         non-assessable and not subject to any preemptive or similar rights;

                 (iv) All the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the
         Company's subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and
         are fully paid and non-assessable, and are owned by the Company,
         directly or indirectly through one or more subsidiaries, and are free
         and clear of any Lien;

                  (v) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
         delivered by the Company and this Agreement (assuming the due execution
         and delivery thereof by the Underwriters) is the legally valid and
         binding agreement of the Company;


                  (vi) The Registration Statement has become effective under the
         Act, no stop order suspending its effectiveness has been issued and no
         proceedings for that purpose are, to the best of such counsel's
         knowledge after due inquiry, pending before or contemplated by the
         Commission;

                (vii) The statements under the captions "Description of our
         capital stock" and "Plan of Distribution" in the Prospectus and Items
         14 and 15 of Part II of the Registration Statement, insofar as such
         statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or
         proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called
         for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings;

               (viii) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
         violation of its respective charter or by-laws and, to the best of such
         counsel's knowledge and except as would not have a Material Adverse
         Effect, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in default
         in the performance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
         contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other
         agreement or instrument that is material to the Company and its
         subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries or their respective property is bound or to which any of
         its properties is subject, or is in violation of any law, statute,
         rule, regulation, judgment or court decree applicable to the Company or
         any Company subsidiary; and


<PAGE>   23



         to the best of such counsel's knowledge, there exists no condition
         that, with notice, the passage of time or otherwise, would constitute
         such a default under any such document or instrument;

                  (ix) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
         and the other Operative Documents and compliance by the Company with
         all the provisions hereof and thereof and the consummation of the
         transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not require, to such
         counsel's knowledge, any consent, approval, authorization or other
         order of, or qualification with, any court or governmental body or
         agency (except, with respect to the Operative Documents, such as may be
         required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states)
         and will not conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the terms
         or provisions of, or a default under, the charter or by-laws of the
         Company or any of the Company's subsidiaries or any indenture, loan
         agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument identified
         on a schedule to such opinion that is material to the Company and any
         of the Company's subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company
         or any of the Company's subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company
         or any of the Company's subsidiaries or their respective property is
         bound, or violate or conflict with any applicable law or any rule or
         regulation or, to such counsel's knowledge, any judgment, order or
         decree of any court or any governmental body or agency having
         jurisdiction over the Company, any of the Company's subsidiaries or
         their respective property, or result in the imposition or creation of
         (or the obligation to create or impose) a Lien under, any agreement or
         instrument identified on such schedule to which the Company or any of
         the Company's subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them is
         bound, or to which any properties of the Company or any of the
         Company's subsidiaries is or may be subject;

                   (x) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, such counsel does
         not know of any legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened
         to which the Company or any of Company's subsidiaries is or could be a
         party or to which any of their respective property is or could be
         subject, which might result, singly or in the aggregate, in a Material
         Adverse Effect.

                  (xi) The Company is not an "investment company" as such term
         is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

                  (xii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus or Exhibit A to
         this Agreement, such counsel is aware of no holders of securities of
         either the Company or any of the Company's subsidiaries of this
         Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein
         that have the right to request or demand that the Company or any of the
         Company's subsidiaries register under the Act securities held by them.


<PAGE>   24

                  (xiii) The Registration Statement (including any Registration
         Statement filed under 462(b) of the Act, if any) and the Prospectus and
         any supplement or amendment thereto (except for financial statements as
         to which no opinion need be expressed) comply as to form in all
         material respects with the Act. At the time of filing the Registration
         Statement, and as of the date of this opinion, the Company complied
         with the conditions for use of Form S-3.

                  (xiv) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are no
         contracts, licenses, agreements, leases or documents of a character
         which are required under the Act to be filed as exhibits to the
         Registration Statement or to be summarized or described in the
         Prospectus which have not been filed, summarized or described.

                  (xv) The documents incorporated by reference in the
         Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they were filed (or, if
         an amendment with respect to such document has been filed, when such
         amendment was filed), complied as to form in all material respects with
         the Exchange Act.

                  In addition, such counsel will advise that it has participated
in conferences with directors, officers and other representatives of the Company
and the Subsidiaries, and representatives of the independent public accountants
for the Company, at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus and related matters were discussed, and, although such counsel
has not independently verified and is not passing upon and assumes no
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus except as specified,
no facts have come to such counsel's attention which lead such counsel to
believe that the Registration Statement or the Prospectus on the effective date
thereof (or any amendment thereof made prior to the Closing Date, as of the date
of such amendment), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state any material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it
being understood that such counsel need express no view with respect to the
financial statements and related notes, the financial statement schedules and
other financial, statistical and accounting data included in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or any information regarding the Sellers). The
opinion of Friedlob Sanderson Raskin Paulson & Tourtillott, LLC described in
this Section 9(f) shall be rendered to you at the request of the Company and
shall so state therein.

         (g) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion
(satisfactory to you and counsel for the Underwriters), dated the Closing Date,
of counsel for each Seller, which may include in-house counsel, to the effect
that:


<PAGE>   25


                  (i) Such Seller is the lawful owner of the Shares to be sold
         by such Seller pursuant to this Agreement and, to our knowledge, has
         good and clear title to such Shares, free of all restrictions on
         transfer, liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities and claims
         whatsoever;

                 (ii) Such Seller has full legal right, power and authority, and
         all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this
         Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares to be
         sold by such Seller in the manner provided herein and therein;

                (iii) [intentionally omitted];

                 (iv) [intentionally omitted];

                  (v) Assuming the Underwriters are "bona fide purchasers"
         within the meaning of Section 8-302 of the Uniform Commercial Code as
         in effect in the State of New York, upon delivery of and payment for
         the Shares to be sold by such Seller pursuant to this Agreement, good
         and clear title to such Shares will pass to the Underwriters, free of
         all restrictions on transfer, liens, encumbrances, security interests,
         equities and claims whatsoever; and

                 (vi) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
         by such Seller, the compliance by such Seller with all the provisions
         hereof and thereof and the consummation of the transactions
         contemplated hereby and thereby will not (A) require any consent,
         approval, authorization or other order of, or qualification with, any
         court or governmental body or agency (except such as may be required
         under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states), (B)
         conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions
         of, or a default under, the organizational documents of such Seller or
         any material indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other
         material agreement or instrument to which such Seller is a party or by
         which any property of such Seller is bound or (C) violate or conflict
         with any New York or federal law, rule or regulation, or, to the best
         of such counsel's knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any court
         or any governmental body or agency having jurisdiction over such Seller
         or any property of such Seller.

         (h) [intentionally omitted]

         (i) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an
opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Steptoe & Johnson, regulatory counsel for
the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters
and counsel to the Underwriters.


<PAGE>   26

         (j) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion, dated the
Closing Date, of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, counsel for the
Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.


         (k) You shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing
Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in
form and substance satisfactory to you, from Arthur Andersen LLP, independent
public accountants, containing the information and statements of the type
ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained
in the Prospectus.

         (l) The Sellers shall have delivered to you the agreements specified in
Section 2 hereof which agreements shall be in full force and effect on the
Closing Date.

         (m) The Shares shall have been duly listed for quotation on the Nasdaq
National Market.

         (n) The Company and the Sellers shall not have failed on or prior to
the Closing Date to perform or comply with any of the agreements herein
contained and required to be performed or complied with by the Company or the
Sellers, as the case may be, on or prior to the Closing Date.

         (o) You shall have received on the Closing Date, a certificate of each
Seller who is not a U.S. Person (as defined under applicable U.S. federal tax
legislation) to the effect that such Seller is not a U.S. Person, which
certificate may be in the form of a properly completed and executed United
States Treasury Department Form W-8 (or other applicable form or statement
specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).

         (p) Each of the opinions described in Section 9(f) and 9(i) and the
letter described in Section 9(k) shall have been received by, and shall be
addressed to, each of the Sellers. The Underwriters shall not have the power to
waive compliance with the conditions set forth in this Section 9(p) without the
prior written consent of the Sellers.

         The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase any Additional
Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option
Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the
good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of such
Additional Shares and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional
Shares.

         SECTION 10. Effectiveness of Agreement and Termination. This Agreement
shall become effective upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the
parties hereto.


<PAGE>   27


         This Agreement may be terminated at any time on or prior to the Closing
Date by you by written notice to the Sellers if any of the following has
occurred: (i) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or
international calamity or crisis or change in economic conditions or in the
financial markets of the United States or elsewhere that, in your judgment, is
material and adverse and, in your judgment, makes it impracticable to market the
Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus, (ii) the
suspension or material limitation of trading in securities or other instruments
on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Chicago Board
of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade
or the Nasdaq National Market or limitation on prices for securities or other
instruments on any such exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, (iii) the
suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the
over-the-counter market, (iv) the enactment, publication, decree or other
promulgation of any federal or state statute, regulation, rule or order of any
court or other governmental authority which in your opinion materially and
adversely affects, or will materially and adversely affect, the business,
prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (v) the declaration of a banking moratorium by
either federal or New York State authorities or (vi) the taking of any action by
any federal, state or local government or agency in respect of its monetary or
fiscal affairs which in your opinion has a material adverse effect on the
financial markets in the United States.

         If on the Closing Date or on an Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase the
Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, which it has or they have
agreed to purchase hereunder on such date and the aggregate number of Firm
Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more
than one-tenth of the total number of Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the
case may be, to be purchased on such date by all Underwriters, each
non-defaulting Underwriter shall be obligated severally, in the proportion which
the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite its name in Schedule I bears to the
total number of Firm Shares which all the non-defaulting Underwriters have
agreed to purchase, or in such other proportion as you may specify, to purchase
the Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such
date; provided that in no event shall the number of Firm Shares or Additional
Shares, as the case may be, which any Underwriter has agreed to purchase
pursuant to Section 2 hereof be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an
amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Firm Shares or Additional
Shares, as the case may be, without the written consent of such Underwriter. If
on the Closing Date any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to
purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm


<PAGE>   28


Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the
aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased by all Underwriters and
arrangements satisfactory to you, the Company and the Sellers for purchase of
such Firm Shares are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement
will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter,
the Company or the Sellers. In any such case which does not result in
termination of this Agreement, either you or the Sellers shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order
that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an
Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters fails or refuses to
purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with
respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate
number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such date, the non-defaulting
Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder
to purchase such Additional Shares or (ii) purchase not less than the number of
Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been
obligated to purchase on such date in the absence of such default. Any action
taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability in respect of any default of any such Underwriter under this
Agreement.

         SECTION 11. Agreements of the Sellers. Each Seller agrees with you and
the Company:

         (a) To pay or to cause to be paid all transfer taxes payable in
connection with the transfer of the Shares to be sold by such Seller to the
Underwriters.

         (b) To do and perform all things to be done and performed by such
Seller under this Agreement prior to the Closing Date and to take such action as
is required by this Agreement to satisfy all conditions precedent (which
conditions are required to be satisfied by such Seller) to the delivery of the
Shares to be sold by such Seller pursuant to this Agreement.

         (c) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are
consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all
expenses incident to the performance of the Company's, and to the extent
relevant hereto, the Sellers' obligations under this Agreement, including: (i)
the reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel, the
Company's accountants and any Seller's counsel (in addition to the Company's
counsel) in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under
the Act and all other fees and expenses in connection with the preparation,
printing, filing and distribution of the Registration Statement (including
financial statements and exhibits), any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus
and all amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including the
mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers in the
quantities specified herein, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer
and delivery of


<PAGE>   29


the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable
thereon, (iii) all costs of printing or producing this Agreement and any other
agreements or documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale or
delivery of the Shares, (iv) all expenses in connection with the registration or
qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky
laws of the several states and all costs of printing or producing any
Preliminary and Supplemental Blue Sky Memoranda in connection therewith
(including the filing fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters in connection with such registration or qualification and memoranda
relating thereto), (v) the cost of printing certificates representing the
Shares, (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar and/or
depositary, and (vii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance
of the obligations of the Company and the Sellers hereunder for which provision
is not otherwise made in this Section, including payment to the Commission the
filing fee for any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement at the time of the filing
thereof or to give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant
to Rule 111(b) under the Act. The provisions of this Section shall not supersede
or otherwise affect any agreement that the Company and the Sellers may otherwise
have for allocation of such expenses among themselves.


         SECTION 12. Miscellaneous. Notices given pursuant to any provision of
this Agreement shall be addressed as follows: (i) if to the Company, to EchoStar
Communications Corporation, 5701 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton, Colorado
80120, Attention: General Counsel, telephone number (303) 799-8222, (ii) if to
MCI WorldCom Network Services, Inc., 1801 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20006, Attention: General Counsel, telephone number (202) 887-3373, (iii)
if to News America Incorporated, News America Incorporated, 1211 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Arthur M. Siskind, Senior
Executive Vice President and General Counsel, and (iv) if to any Underwriter or
to you, to you c/o Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation, 277 Park
Avenue, New York, New York 10172, Attention: Syndicate Department, or in any
case to such other address as the person to be notified may have requested in
writing.

         The respective indemnities, contribution agreements, representations,
warranties and other statements of the Company, the Sellers and the several
Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement shall remain
operative and in full force and effect, and will survive delivery of and payment
for the Shares, regardless of (i) any investigation, or statement as to the
results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the officers or
directors of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter, the
Company, the officers or directors of the Company, any person controlling the
Company, any Seller or any person controlling such Seller, (ii) acceptance of
the Shares and payment for them hereunder and (iii) termination of this
Agreement.


<PAGE>   30


         If for any reason the Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of any
Seller as provided herein (other than as a result of any termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Section 10), the Sellers agree, jointly and severally, to
reimburse the several Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the
fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by them. Notwithstanding any
termination of this Agreement, the Sellers shall be liable for all expenses
which they have agreed to pay pursuant to Section 11(c) hereof. The Sellers also
agree, jointly and severally, to reimburse the several Underwriters, their
directors and officers and any persons controlling any of the Underwriters for
any and all fees and expenses (including, without limitation, the fees
disbursements of counsel) incurred by them in connection with enforcing their
rights hereunder (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 8 hereof).

         Except as otherwise provided, this Agreement has been and is made
solely for the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Company, the Sellers,
the Underwriters, the Underwriters' directors and officers, any controlling
persons referred to herein, the Company's directors and the Company's officers
who sign the Registration Statement and their respective successors and assigns,
all as and to the extent provided in this Agreement, and no other person shall
acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term
"successors and assigns" shall not include a purchaser of any of the Shares from
any of the several Underwriters merely because of such purchase.

         This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York.

         This Agreement may be signed in various counterparts which together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.


<PAGE>   31


         Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement
among the Company, the Sellers and the several Underwriters.

                              Very truly yours,

                              ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

                              /s/ David K. Moskowitz
                              --------------------------------------------------
                              By: David K. Moskowitz
                                  ----------------------------------------------
                              Title: Secretary, Senior Vice
                                     President and General Counsel

                              NEWS AMERICA INCORPORATED

                              /s/ Lawrence J. Jacobs
                              --------------------------------------------------
                              By: Lawrence J. Jacobs
                              Title: Senior Vice President

                              MCI WORLDCOM NETWORK SERVICES, INC.

                              /s/ Sunit S. Patel
                              -------------------------------------------------
                              By: Sunit S. Patel
                              Title: Treasurer

DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
         SECURITIES CORPORATION
ALLEN & COMPANY INCORPORATED
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
MERRILL, LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
         INCORPORATED

Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several
         Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto

By   DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
         SECURITIES CORPORATION

J. Tracy Mehr
- -----------------------------
By: J. Tracy Mehr
    -------------------------
Title: Vice President


<PAGE>   32



                                   SCHEDULE I



                                                    Number of Firm Shares
                 Underwriters                          to be Purchased

Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities
Corporation                                                7,200,000

Allen & Company Incorporated                               1,600,000

Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation                     1,600,000

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
Smith Incorporated                                         1,600,000
                                                          ----------
Total                                                     12,000,000


<PAGE>   33

                                   SCHEDULE II

                                     Sellers


                                                           Number of Firm
           Name                                           Shares Being Sold

News America Incorporated                                       9,612,000
MCI WorldCom Network Services, Inc.                             2,388,000
                                                               ----------
                                            Total              12,000,000





<PAGE>   34



                                  ATTACHMENT A

                             FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER
           [LETTERHEAD OF NEWS AMERICA INCORPORATED AND MCI WORLDCOM
                            NETWORK SERVICES, INC.]

                               December [ ], 1999



EchoStar Communications Corporation
5701 South Santa Fe Drive
Littleton, Colorado  80120

Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation
Allen & Company Incorporated
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
      (as representatives of the several Underwriters (as defined)
      named in Schedule I attached hereto)
c/o Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation
277 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10172

              Re:  Public Offering of Common Stock

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         The undersigned understands that Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Securities Corporation, Allen & Company Incorporated, Credit Suisse First Boston
Corporation and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
(collectively, the "REPRESENTATIVES"), as representatives of the several
underwriters (the "UNDERWRITERS"), propose to enter into an Underwriting
Agreement with EchoStar Communications Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the
"COMPANY"), News America Incorporated and MCI WorldCom Network Services, Inc.
providing for the public offering (the "PUBLIC OFFERING") by the Underwriters,
including the Representatives, of up to Thirteen Million Eight Hundred Thousand
(13,800,000) shares of class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the
Company (the "COMMON STOCK").

         In consideration of the Underwriters' agreement to purchase and
undertake the Public Offering of the Company's Common Stock and for other good
and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the
undersigned agrees not to, directly or indirectly, offer, sell, contact to sell,
grant any portion to purchase or otherwise dispose of any shares of the
Company's capital stock (including, without limitation, shares of the Company's
capital stock which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission and shares of the Company's capital stock which may be


<PAGE>   35


issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or any securities convertible
into or exercisable or exchangeable for such shares of the Company's capital
stock or, in any manner, transfer all or a portion of the economic consequences
associated with the ownership of the Company's capital stock, without the prior
written consent of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation and the
Company, which consent the Company may withhold in its sole discretion, for a
period of One Hundred Eighty (180) days after the commencement of the Public
Offering.

         In addition, the undersigned agrees that the Company may, and that the
undersigned will, (i) with respect to any shares of the Company's capital stock
for which the undersigned is the record holder, cause the transfer agent for the
Company's capital stock to note stop transfer instructions with respect to such
shares of the Company's capital stock on the transfer books and records of the
Company and (ii) with respect to any shares of the Company's capital stock for
which the undersigned is the beneficial holder but not the record holder, cause
the record holder of such shares of the Company's capital stock to cause the
transfer agent for the Company to note stop transfer instructions with respect
to such shares of the Company's capital stock on the transfer books and records
of the Company.

         The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has
full power and authority to enter into this letter agreement, and that, upon
request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary or
desirable in connection with the enforcement hereof. All authority herein
conferred or agreed to be conferred shall survive the death or incapacity of the
undersigned and any obligation of the undersigned shall be binding upon the
heirs, personal representatives, successors, and assigns of the undersigned.

                      Very truly yours,

                      ---------------------------------------------------------
                           (Signature)

                      ---------------------------------------------------------
                           (Name - Please Type)

                      ---------------------------------------------------------

                      ---------------------------------------------------------

                      ---------------------------------------------------------
                           (Address)

                      ---------------------------------------------------------
                      (Social Security or Taxpayer Identification No.)

                      Number of shares owned or subject to
                      warrants, options or convertible securities:  -----------

                      Certificate number:
                                            -----------------------------------



<PAGE>   36



                                    EXHIBIT A

   [insert any contracts, agreements granting any person the right to require
   the Company to file a registration statement or to include securities with
     shares under registration statement in connection with this agreement]


Registration Rights Agreement dated as of June 24, 1999, by and among EchoStar
Communications Corporation, MCI Telecommunications Corporation, MCI WorldCom
Network Services, Inc., American Sky Broadcasting, LLC and News America
Incorporated

Registration Rights Agreement to be dated as of December 8, 1999, between
EchoStar Communications Corporation and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities
Corporation




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