what is the 1st network to launch its own satellite?

Answer 1

There is a LOT to the history of communication satellites... here are some details specific to your question so you can go and do some additional research...

Hughes Aircraft Company, in cooperation with NASA and the US Department of Defense, on their 2nd attempt, launched the 85 pound SYNchronous COMmunications satellite (SYNCOM2) in July 1963, which because the world's first geosynchronous satellite. I believe SYNCOM1 failed, lost contact and was never functional. SYNCOM2 operated in the S band between 2-4 GHz which was always used for NASA experiments, a part of the S band is now used for Sirius and XM satellite radio.

The first commercial satellite system was called the "Early Bird" and became operational in 1965.

Note, it was first science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke who first conceived of the applications of geosynchronous satellites in a magazine article in 1945. He first thought of the (correct) idea that 3 satellites 120-degrees apart in geosynchronous above the equator would provide nearly worldwide coverage.