AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 1, 2002 REGISTRATION NO. 333-49144 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO FORM S-3 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Nevada 88-0336997 (State or other jurisdiction (IRS Employer of incorporation or organization) Identification No.) 5701 South Santa Fe Drive Littleton, Colorado 80120 (303) 723-1000 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive office) ---------- David K. Moskowitz, Esq. Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary EchoStar Communications Corporation 5701 South Santa Fe Drive Littleton, Colorado 80120 (303) 723-1000 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) ---------- Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: This post-effective amendment deregisters those shares of class A common stock that remain unsold hereunder as of the date hereof. If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: [ ] If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: [ ] If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ] If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462 (c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ] If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please the following box. [ ] DEREGISTRATION OF SECURITIES On November 2, 2000, EchoStar Communications Corporation, a Nevada corporation ("ECC") filed a registration statement on Form S-3 (Commission file No. 333-49144)(the "Registration Statement") for purposes of registering 61,200 shares of ECC's class A common stock (the "Shares"). On November 29, 2000, ECC filed an amendment to the Registration Statement. On December 1, 2000, the Securities and Exchange Commission declared the Registration Statement effective. Pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement that required ECC to file the Registration Statement, ECC is no longer required to keep the Registration Statement effective. Accordingly, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement is being filed to deregister, as of the date hereof, all of the Shares that remain unsold under the Registration Statement. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Littleton, State of Colorado on February 1, 2002. ECHOSTAR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION By: /s/ Michael R. McDonnell ------------------------------------- Michael R. McDonnell Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated: Signature Title Date --------- ----- ---- /s/ Charles W. Ergen* Chairman and Chief Executive Officer February 1, 2002 -------------------------------- (Principal Executive Officer) Charles W. Ergen /s/ Michael R. McDonnell Chief Financial Officer February 1, 2002 -------------------------------- (Principal Financial Officer) Michael R. McDonnell /s/ Cantey M. Ergen Director February 1, 2002 -------------------------------- Cantey M. Ergen /s/ David K. Moskowitz* Director February 1, 2002 -------------------------------- David K. Moskowitz /s/ Raymond L. Friedlob* Director February 1, 2002 -------------------------------- Raymond L. Friedlob /s/ O. Nolan Daines* Director February 1, 2002 -------------------------------- O. Nolan Daines /s/ James DeFranco* Director February 1, 2002 -------------------------------- James DeFranco /s/ Peter A. Dea Director February 1, 2002 -------------------------------- Peter A. Dea /s/ Jean-Marie Messier Director February 1, 2002 -------------------------------- Jean-Marie Messier */s/ Michael R. McDonnell February 1, 2002 -------------------------------- Michael R. McDonnell Attorney-in-Fact