Do it Best Corporation Selects Spacenet to Provide its Member Retailers with Nationwide, Commercial-Grade Satellite Connectivity

Spacenet's Connexstar service chosen as high-speed networking platform for 4,000-store hardware cooperative

McLean, VA, November 13, 2002 - Spacenet Inc. today announced it has been selected by Do it Best Corp. to provide a nationwide, broadband wide area network to serve members of its retailing cooperative.

Do it Best serves more than 4,000 independent hardware and building materials retailers throughout the United States. Recently, the company embarked on a program designed to improve the operating efficiency of its nationwide store network, principally by connecting all its U.S. stores to its Indiana corporate headquarters. Connexstar will be an integral component of this objective.
Spacenet’s Connexstar broadband satellite service will be used to support a variety of critical business communications requirements, including high-speed Internet/intranet access, e-mail, fast credit authorization, store polling, distribution of advertising materials and price file update distribution to stores for accurate and consistent pricing.

Do it Best’s goal is to have the vast majority of its 4,000 members equipped with Connexstar service by late summer 2003.

Do it Best Chief Information Officer Kay Williams said, "The performance and ease of deployment of the Connexstar service is ideally suited to meet our communications needs. In addition, Connexstar brings a new level of affordability to the provision of business-grade broadband connectivity. This combination of benefits made it the ideal solution for supporting our emerging store automation process."

Spacenet’s President and CEO Nick Supron said, "By deploying a common communications platform throughout its nationwide store network, Do it Best is bringing its members reliable tools for improved operational efficiency and enhanced customer service. In light of the mission-critical nature of these new applications, we are particularly plesed to have been selected to provide the connectivity for this new infrastructure."

About Do it Best Corporation
Based in Fort Wayne, Ind., Do it Best Corp. is the only member-owned hardware, lumber and building materials buying cooperative in the industry. With over $2.2 billion in annual sales, Do it Best Corp. serves 4,350 member-retailers across the United States and in 42 foreign countries. For more information, visit www.doitbestcorp.com.

Background on Spacenet’s Connexstar service
Powered by Gilat’s 360E VSAT platform, Connexstar provides commercial-grade, always-on high-speed Internet connectivity anywhere in the continental United States – with the ability to add high-speed credit authorization, commercially licensed TV and music, distance learning, content multicasting and secure private networking services using the same remote site hardware. Connexstar services include business-grade installation, integrated routing functionality, depot maintenance and second-level help desk support. A variety of on-site field service options – such as 24x7 help desk and same day, 7x12 on-site maintenance – are also available to meet specific business requirements. Embedded TCP/IP implementation coupled with Gilat’s industry-leading Internet browsing acceleration technologies provides high performance and enhanced user experience. Learn more about Connexstar at www.connexstar.com.

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