8-K

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           Washington, D.C. 20549

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                                   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): MAY 25, 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 May 25,
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 July 1, 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 July 19,
1999, by the Company's transfer agent, American Securities Transfer & Trust,
Inc.

                                   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: May 25, 1999                    By: /s/ DAVID MOSKOWITZ
                                       David Moskowitz, Senior Vice President,
                                       General Counsel, Secretary, and Director



                                EXHIBITS INDEX



Exhibit    Description
        
 99.1      Press Release, dated May 25, 1999, issued by EchoStar announcing
           2-for-1 stock split

EX-99.1

                                    [LOGO]

                      ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACT:   Judianne Atencio
           Communications Director
           EchoStar Communications Corporation
           303/723-2010
           e-mail: judianne.atencio@echostar.com

ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION ANNOUNCES 2-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT

LITTLETON, CO, MAY 25, 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 July 1, 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 effective date, July 19, 1999, by the Company's
transfer agent, American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc. The stock split
will increase the number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding from
approximately 16.0 million shares to approximately 32.0 million shares and
Class B common stock outstanding from approximately 29.8 million shares to
approximately 59.6 million shares.

ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORP., INCLUDES THREE INTERRELATED BUSINESS UNITS:

- -   DISH Network-TM- is EchoStar's state-of-the-art DBS system that offers
    customers over 300 channels of digital video and CD-quality audio
    programming, fully MPEG-2/DVB compliant hardware and installation. The
    DISH Network currently serves over 2.3 million customers.

- -   EchoStar Technologies Corporation (ETC, formerly HTS - Houston Tracker
    Systems, Inc.), designs, manufactures and distributes DBS set-top boxes,
    antennas and other digital equipment for DISH Network and various
    international customers that include ExpressVu Canada and Telefonica's
    Via Digital system in Spain. ETC also provides uplink-center design,
    construction oversight and project-integration services for customers
    internationally.



EchoStar Stock Press Release
May 25, 1999
Page 2

- -   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 up to 27 channels of popular digital
    satellite television programming to viewers in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico
    and the U.S. territories in the Caribbean.

DISH Network is a trademark of EchoStar Communications Corporation.  HTS is a
trademark of Houston Tracker Systems, Inc.   DISH Network is located on the
Internet at: www.dishnetwork.com

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