UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   Kiser, Kyle J.
   5701 S. Santa Fe Drive
   Littleton, CO  80120
   USA
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   EchoStar Communications Corporation
   DISH
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)

4. Statement for Month/Year
   4/1/2003
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)

6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   ( ) Director ( ) 10% Owner ( ) Officer (give title below) (X) Other
   (specify below)
   Treasurer
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
   (X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
   ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person


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 Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                 |
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1. Title of Security       |2.    |3.    |4.Securities Acquired (A)         |5.Amount of        |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect       |
                           | Transaction |  or Disposed of (D)              |  Securities       |ect   |  Beneficial Ownership     |
                           |      |      |                                  |  Beneficially     |(D)or |                           |
                           |      |    | |                  | A/|           |  Owned at         |Indir |                           |
                           | Date |Code|V|    Amount        | D |    Price  |  End of Month     |ect(I)|                           |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
                                                                            
Class A Common Stock       |3/31/0|M   | |3,600             |A  |$2.75      |21,623             |      |                           |
                           |3     |    | |                  |   |           |                   |      |                           |
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                           |      |    | |                  |   |           |1,778              |(1)   |                           |
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                           |      |    | |                  |   |           |5,625              |(2)   |                           |
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                   |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Con-  |3.   |4.    |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount  |8.Price|9.Number    |10.|11.Nature of|
  Security            |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and|  of Underlying     |of Deri|of Deriva   |Dir|Indirect    |
                      |or Exer |     |      | rities Acqui  |Expiration |  Securities        |vative |tive        |ect|Beneficial  |
                      |cise    |     |      | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/|                    |Secu   |Securities  |(D)|Ownership   |
                      |Price of|     |      | posed of(D)   |Day/Year)  |                    |rity   |Benefi      |or |            |
                      |Deriva- |     |      |               |Date |Expir|                    |       |ficially    |Ind|            |
                      |tive    |     |      |           | A/|Exer-|ation|   Title and Number |       |Owned at    |ire|            |
                      |Secu-   |     |    | |           | D |cisa-|Date |   of Shares        |       |End of      |ct |            |
                      |rity    |Date |Code|V|  Amount   |   |ble  |     |                    |       |Month       |(I)|            |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
                                                                            
Employee Stock Option |$28.88  |3/31/|M   | |5,000      |A  |(3)  |3/31/|Class A Comm|5,000  |       |5,000       |D  |            |
(Right to Buy)        |        |2003 |    | |           |   |     |2013 |on Stock    |       |       |            |   |            |
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Employee Stock Option |$2.75   |3/31/|M   | |3,600      |D  |(4)  |(5)  |Class A Comm|3,600  |       |42          |D  |            |
(Right to Buy)        |        |2003 |    | |           |   |     |     |on          |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |        |     |    | |           |   |     |     |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Explanation of Responses:
(1) The number of shares reported represents the total number of shares
purchased by the reporting person through EchoStar Communications
Corporation's 1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan to
date.
(2) The number of shares reported represents the total number of shares
allocated to the reporting person's account through the EchoStar
Communications Corporation's 401(k) Employees' Savings Plan to date.  The
reporting person has dispositive, but no voting power with respect to the
shares.
(3) The shares underlying the option listed in column 5 vest at the rate of 20%
per year, commencing on March 31, 2004.
(4) The shares underlying the option listed in column 5 vest at the rate of 20%
per year, commencing on March 31, 1999.
(5) Each portion of the option expires five years from the date on which that
portion of the option first becomes exercisable.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
                     /s/  Kyle J. Kiser
DATE
             4/1/03