Echostar Communications Corp. and its Dish Network satellite TV service announced Nov. 27 that its subsidiary, Echostar Fixed Satellite Services Corp. (EFSSC), has entered into a long-term contract with Sprint Nextel to provide domestic Ku-band fixed satellite services (FSS) capacity.

The agreement will provide full-time, part-time, and on-demand satellite capacity to support Sprint Nextel’s emergency response team (ERT) and engineering sales support programs.

The ERT works with public safety agencies and other customers to coordinate communications during emergencies and other large-scale events; it has provided communications support for more than 700 federal, state and local public safety and military agencies in more than 300 deployments including 23 federally declared disasters and emergencies.

EFSSC will provide transponder-restorable and satellite-restorable FSS bandwidth from Echostar 9 at 121 degrees West and AMC 2 at 85 degrees West. In addition to the capacity, EFSSC will also provide engineering resources in support.