[Satellite TODAY 10-20-11] Hughes Network Systems has rolled out new network upgrades for its HughesNet satellite Internet service, the company announced Oct. 19.

   Hughes began implementing the network upgrades in the summer of 2010 to boost browsing and download performance. The company said the upgrades have led to an increase in daily download allowance for all of its service plans, which provides an addition download capacity per month of more than 1Gigabit.

   Hughes also incorporated a HughesNet Status Meter application, which continuously monitors customers and informs them of how much of their daily download capacity is available. The solution was combined with the HughesNet Download Manager to enable users to schedule large file downloads during off-peak hours without affecting browsing speeds or their daily download allowance.

   “Hughes will be continuously improving the HughesNet service over the coming months with optimization technologies, and further enhancements to service plans and customer support. Our vision is to take satellite Internet to the next level with the most advanced high-bandwidth satellites and services that will enable subscribers to experience the Internet at its fullest,” Hughes Senior Vice President of North America Mike Cook said in a statement.