8-K

                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         Washington, D.C. 20549

                __________________________________________
                                 FORM 8-K
                              CURRENT REPORT
                    Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                       Securities Exchange Act of 1934

      Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): OCTOBER 7, 1999


                   ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)


         NEVADA                    0-26176                 88-0336997
  (State or other jurisdiction  (Commission              (IRS Employer
        of incorporation)        File Number)         Identification No.)


       5701 S. SANTA FE DRIVE
       LITTLETON, COLORADO                                   80120
      (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)

   Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (303) 723-1000


ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS

EchoStar Communications Corporation ("EchoStar") announced on October 7, 1999
that its Board of Directors has approved a 2-for-1 split of its common stock.
Stockholders of record at the close of business on October 18, 1999 will be
entitled to one additional share of common stock for each share they own on
that date.  New shares will be mailed or delivered on or about October 25,
1999.

                           SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                              ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION



Dated: October 7, 1999              By: /s/ Doron Gorshein
                                        Doron Gorshein,
                                        Vice President and Associate
                                        General Counsel


                              EXHIBITS INDEX

Exhibit     Description ------- -----------

99.1        Press Release, dated October 7, 1999, issued by EchoStar
            announcing 2-for-1 stock split

EX-99

                             EXHIBIT 99.1


EchoStar Communications Corporation Announces 2-for-1 Stock Split
___________________________________________________________________

Littleton, Colo., Oct. 7, 1999 - EchoStar Communications Corporation
(NASDAQ:DISH, DISHP) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved
a 2-for-1 split of its common stock.  Stockholders of record at the close of
business on Oct. 18, 1999, will be entitled to one additional share of common
stock for each share they own on that date.  New shares will be mailed or
delivered on or about the payable date, Oct. 25, 1999, by the Company's
transfer agent, American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.  The ex-dividend
date, the date on which the change in the stock price will be reflected on the
NASDAQ market, will be on or about Oct. 26, 1999. The stock split will
increase the number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding from
approximately 54.3 million shares to approximately 108.6 million shares and
Class B common stock outstanding from approximately 59.6 million shares to
approximately 119.2 million shares.

     EchoStar Communications Corp., includes three interrelated business
units:

*    DISH Network (TM) is EchoStar's state-of-the-art direct broadcast
     satellite system that is capable of offering over 500 channels of
     digital video and CD-quality audio programming, fully MPEG-2/DVB
     compliant hardware and installation. DISH Network was also ranked number
     one in customer satisfaction among satellite/cable TV subscribers by the
     J.D. Power and Associates 1999 Cable/Satellite TV Customer Satisfaction
     Study.

*    EchoStar Technologies Corporation designs, manufactures and distributes
     DBS set-top boxes, antennas and other digital equipment for the DISH
     Network and various international customers that include ExpressVu Canada
     and the Via Digital system in Spain.  ETC provides construction,
     oversight and project integration services for customers internationally.
     ETC also oversees EchoStar Data Networks Corporation in Atlanta, a
     leading supplier of MediaStream (R) technology for distributing Internet
     content over satellite networks.

*    Satellite Services provides the delivery of video, audio and data
     services to business television customers and other satellite users.
     These services include satellite uplink, satellite transponder space
     usage and other services.  Satellite Services also administers Sky Vista,
     a direct broadcast satellite service offering popular digital satellite
     television programming to viewers in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the
     U.S. territories in the Caribbean.

     DISH Network, which currently serves over 3 million customers, is a
     trademark of EchoStar Communications Corporation. DISH Network is located
     on the Internet at www.dishnetwork.com.

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