ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORP
DESCRIPTION OF THE 2005 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
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<DESCRIPTION>DESCRIPTION OF THE 2005 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
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<P align="right" style="font-size: 10pt">Exhibit&nbsp;10.1



<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>DESCRIPTION OF THE 2005 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN</B>



<P align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; text-indent: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt"><B>Purpose</B>


<P align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; text-indent: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt">On January&nbsp;26, 2005, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the &#147;Committee&#148;) of
EchoStar Communications Corporation (&#147;EchoStar&#148;) approved a long-term, performance-based stock
incentive plan (the &#147;2005 LTIP&#148;) within the terms of EchoStar&#146;s 1999 Stock Incentive Plan. The
purpose of the 2005 LTIP is to promote EchoStar&#146;s interests and the interests of EchoStar&#146;s
stockholders by providing key employees with financial rewards through equity participation upon
achievement of specified long-term business objectives.


<P align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; text-indent: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt"><B>Eligibility</B>


<P align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; text-indent: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt">The employees eligible to participate in the 2005 LTIP include EchoStar&#146;s executive officers, vice
presidents, director-level employees and certain other key employees designated by the Committee.


<P align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; text-indent: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt"><B>Types of Awards</B>


<P align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; text-indent: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt">Employees participating in the 2005 LTIP may elect to receive a one-time award of (i)&nbsp;an option to
acquire a specified number of shares priced at $29.25 (the closing price of EchoStar&#146;s Class&nbsp;A
Common Stock on March&nbsp;31, 2005); (ii)&nbsp;rights (&#147;restricted performance units&#148;) to acquire for no
additional consideration a specified smaller number of shares of EchoStar&#146;s Class&nbsp;A Common Stock;
or (iii)&nbsp;a corresponding combination of a lesser number of option shares and restricted performance
units.


<P align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; text-indent: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt"><B>Grant Date and Vesting</B>


<P align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; text-indent: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt">Options to purchase approximately 3.3&nbsp;million shares and approximately 478,000 restricted
performance units were granted under the 2005 LTIP as of March&nbsp;31, 2005. The options and
restricted performance units vest at the rate of 10% per year commencing on March&nbsp;31, 2006 until
March&nbsp;31, 2009 and then at the rate of 20% per year thereafter (or at another rate determined by
the Committee); provided, however, that none of the options or restricted performance units will
vest if EchoStar fails to achieve the certain specified long-term performance goal.


<P align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; text-indent: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt"><B>Administration</B>


<P align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; text-indent: 0%; margin-right: 0%; font-size: 10pt">The Committee retains the right to modify the terms of the 2005 LTIP.


<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;
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