Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
DEFRANCO JAMES
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORP [DISH] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
9601 S. MERIDIAN BLVD.		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
11/09/2006
(Street)

ENGLEWOOD, CO 80112		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Class A Common Stock 04/19/2006   G(1) V 775 D $ 0 4,762,752 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   M   48,000 A $ 2.125 4,810,752 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   M   120,000 A $ 6 4,930,752 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   400 D $ 36.4 4,930,352 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   2,600 D $ 36.41 4,927,752 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   3,300 D $ 36.42 4,924,452 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   1,600 D $ 36.43 4,922,852 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   7,376 D $ 36.44 4,915,476 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   29,187 D $ 36.45 4,886,289 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   18,487 D $ 36.46 4,867,802 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   10,899 D $ 36.47 4,856,903 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   10,438 D $ 36.48 4,846,465 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   6,712 D $ 36.49 4,839,753 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   15,000 D $ 36.5 4,824,753 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   12,498 D $ 36.51 4,812,255 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   5,403 D $ 36.52 4,806,852 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   2,500 D $ 36.53 4,804,352 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   2,934 D $ 36.54 4,801,418 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   14,362 D $ 36.55 4,787,056 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   5,597 D $ 36.56 4,781,459 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   2,806 D $ 36.57 4,778,653 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   4,565 D $ 36.58 4,774,088 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   3,936 D $ 36.59 4,770,152 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   3,349 D $ 36.6 4,766,803 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   897 D $ 36.61 4,765,906 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   1,800 D $ 36.62 4,764,106 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   654 D $ 36.63 4,763,452 D  
Class A Common Stock 11/09/2006   S   700 D $ 36.64 4,762,752 D  
Class A Common Stock               8,183 I I (2) (6)
Class A Common Stock               50,000 I I (3)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 2.125 11/09/2006   M     48,000   (5) 02/12/2007 Class A Common Stock 48,000 $ 0 0 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 6 11/09/2006   M     120,000   (4) 02/17/2009 Class A Common Stock 120,000 $ 0 47,280 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
DEFRANCO JAMES
9601 S. MERIDIAN BLVD.
ENGLEWOOD, CO 80112		   X     Executive Vice President  

Signatures

 /s/ James DeFranco, by Robert Rehg, his Attorney in Fact   11/14/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The shares were gifted to the reporting person's minor child on April 19, 2006.
(2) The shares are being held by the reporting person as custodian for his minor children. The number of shares includes the 775 shares gifted on April 19, 2006.
(3) The shares are held by the reporting person in an irrevocable trust for the benefit of the reporting person's minor children and grandchildren. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.
(4) The shares underlying the option vested at the rate of 20% per year, commencing February 17, 2000.
(5) The shares underlying the option vested at the rate of 20% per year, commencing February 12, 1998.
(6) The shares are held by DeFranco Investments Co., Ltd., a general partnership, of which the reporting person is sole general partner.
 
Remarks:
Due to SEC rules limiting the number of transactions that can be reported on a single Form 4, this Form 4 is part 1 of 2 for transactions effected by the reporting person on November 9, 2006.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

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