BASF Selects Spacenet to Deploy Broadband Satellite Network at Up to 3,000 Agricultural Retailer Locations Nationwide, Powering High-Speed Internet Access and Key Retail Applications

McLean, VA, February 27, 2002 - Spacenet Inc. today announced it has been selected by BASF Corporation to provide a two-way, broadband satellite communications network to serve up to 3,000 agricultural retailers and distributors nationwide.

The satellite network, based on Gilat's 360E VSAT platform, will power a new BASF service to be called Harvest Partners Network™, which will bring high-speed Internet access to rural locations that until now have had limited access to broadband connectivity. Harvest Partners Network will be available to agricultural retailers in the second quarter of this year.

Harvest Partners Network subscribers will have nearly immediate access to in-depth market, weather, news and agronomy information on the Harvest Partners Network web site. The web site will also include content such as full-motion video, Internet-based training, and digital images. Those subscribers will also be able to use the satellite network for a wide range of retail back-office applications, such as credit authorization and inventory management.

Terry Hanson, Director of eInitiatives at BASF, said, "Spacenet is focused on the business solutions market. Its broadband networking solutions have already been proven in large retail organizations outside of agriculture. Because our retail customers are located in rural areas, Spacenet's technology is a perfect fit. Cable and DSL services are generally not available in rural areas and fixed-wireless services have distance and line-of-sight limitations."

Hanson added, "The lack of broadband connectivity in rural America has limited ag retailers' ability to adopt eBusiness technologies. Harvest Partners Network will give our retail customers Internet and data transfer speeds up to 20 times faster than dial-up connections. This will offer them the opportunity to better develop eBusiness opportunities and gain new efficiencies. Our vision is to foster and facilitate growth in American agriculture by bringing the industry together on a single communications platform."

David Shiff, Spacenet's Vice President of Sales and Marketing, said, "While agriculture-related businesses have the same technology requirements as retailers in other market sectors, their size and rural geography has, until now, severely limited their ability to enjoy the benefits of the latest applications and networking capabilities. Our satellite offering is uniquely suited to serving this market. Our relationship with BASF brings these businesses the opportunity to enjoy the same capabilities and efficiencies previously available only to large metropolitan-based enterprises. Also, the wide array of value-added services that BASF will be providing will make the overall solution especially valuable to these businesses."

Shiff added, "We are especially enthusiastic about our relationship with BASF. Our products and services will enable BASF to provide its customers the same robust, enterprise-grade network connectivity and performance that Spacenet has been providing to its large customers for many years."

About BASF
BASF Agricultural Products business in North America markets a range of innovative crop protection materials and systems that enable growers to increase their cost-efficiency as well as their crop yield potential. Its headquarters are in Research Triangle Park, N.C. It is a unit of the BASF Global Agricultural Products Division, located in Mount Olive, N.J.

BASF is a transnational chemical company that aims to increase and sustain its corporate value through growth and innovation. The company's product range includes high-value chemicals, plastics, colorants and pigments, dispersions, automobile and industrial coatings, agricultural products and fine chemicals as well as crude oil and natural gas. The BASF approach to integration, known in German as "Verbund," is one of its particular strengths, ensuring cost leadership and unique competitive advantage. With sales in 2000 of about Euro 36 billion (circa US$34 billion) and a workforce of 90,000 employees, BASF is one of the world's leading chemical companies. BASF acts in accordance with the principles of Sustainable Development. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and New York (BF). The company's U.S. crop protection Internet address is www.agproducts.basf.com.

About Harvest Partners Network
Harvest Partners Network is a product of BASF Agricultural Products, North America, headquartered in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Harvest Partners Network will provide satellite-based, high-speed Internet access and broadband networking solutions. These satellite-delivered technologies provide BASF partners with new opportunities to exchange, analyze and act upon business data to increase operating efficiencies and improve customer relationships. Subscribers have access to in-depth market, weather, news, and agronomy information.

About Spacenet
With headquarters in McLean, Virginia, Spacenet Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. of Petah Tikva, Israel. Spacenet provides two-way, satellite-based, broadband networking solutions for a wide range of organizations throughout North America. These solutions include provision of all equipment, bandwidth, implementation and ongoing network and field support on a full turnkey, outsource basis. Visit Spacenet at www.spacenet.com.

Spacenet Media Contact:
David Myers
Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Development
(703) 848-1200
david.myers@spacenet.com