No doubt. I lost all of my favorite rock stations (I now have to listen to the worse Sirius rock stations) and they now charge me for streaming XM over the internet (something that used to be free).

There are a few difference.

First, there are no other options for paid radio, so the merger of the only two satellite radio carriers had a bigger impact due to the lack of competition. Second, both providers originally had their own unique stations (except for some talk and news stations).

With TV, there is competition from cable, fiber, and internet. (you can get radio from these sources as well, but it is not the same as you cannot take cable in the car or on your person). With satellite, both companies carry the same channels for the most part, so a merger would not force one company to drop their stations. The only thing that would happen is that they will now be able to have more stations.

With that said, I too would not want to see a merger. I want as much successful competition as possible.

I miss my Buzzsaw station on Sirius, Boneyard just isn't the same.

Direct will be getting more premiums next year, IMO

I hope you are right, I love HBO, just wish there are more stations plus more in HD.

I don't need sportspack since they are all local and I see every Steelers and Pens game.

While DirecTV is the now the "leader" in DBS, if they get complacent (or remain complacent, as I think they are now) they will begin to loose some of the foot hold that they have on Dish Network.
Dish Network will probably always be the #2 DBS provider, but Dish certainly has some interesting technology that is forth coming and they also have new satellites on line to launch along with leases on upcoming birds to increase power and bandwidth over what they currently have.
I believe that the Ka band experiment that DirecTV has did may not prove to be AS fruitful as they had anticipated. I realize that D12 is forthcoming and that will offer DirecTV some additional bandwidth however, it will be interesting to see how they use that added bandwidth.

While DirecTV is the now the "leader" in DBS, if they get complacent (or remain complacent, as I think they are now) they will begin to loose some of the foot hold that they have on Dish Network.
Dish Network will probably always be the #2 DBS provider, but Dish certainly has some interesting technology that is forth coming and they also have new satellites on line to launch along with leases on upcoming birds to increase power and bandwidth over what they currently have.
I believe that the Ka band experiment that DirecTV has did may not prove to be AS fruitful as they had anticipated. I realize that D12 is forthcoming and that will offer DirecTV some additional bandwidth however, it will be interesting to see how they use that added bandwidth.

I would agree to a certain extent that Direct is getting somewhat complacent, I think they may be putting all there eggs in the sports basket, I would think in the future they may need to expand the preimums and other national HD offerings, from what I read on various posts, they will.

If Dish can do a "rebranding" of sort hitting there high points, I think that could go a long way

Moved to where this belongs - in the warzone. Argue to your hearts content.

Really, I don't care. I still think Bob's arguments are specious at best.


Rocky My arguments come from looking the outside looking in, maybe you need to take a step back from dish sub and see what the rest of the world sees... My point is your point of view is very skewed because your a dish sub and your not as clear in your thoughts because of that. There is no lying about the numbers and those my friend are the FACTS!

And the Fact is dish is sheeding subscribers like crazy.. That trend has not changed :)

I Agree 1000%
Troll??? Yea I'd say so since he did post this right in the E* forums, and last I checked he had U verse.
Now there is a Winning Provider! HA HA HA:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::haha:haha:haha
Where can I get this again?


Actually I had Directv, E* and Uverse.. Until more recently when I dropped E*. Your right Uverse is a winning provider as they have won JD power last year.... :) Thier doing alot better than dish too :)

Actually I had Directv, E* and Uverse.. Until more recently when I dropped E*. Your right Uverse is a winning provider as they have won JD power last year.... :) Thier doing alot better than dish too :)
This is only possible if you happen to be in a U-Verse area though. And most of the country is not.

In my area, FiOS is probably the best. I just don't sub to FiOS because I cannot take it with me when I travel.

Perhaps you can answer this question since you are in a U-Verse area. I have been spending a lot of time at ATT stores looking at new cell phones. I noticed that the ones in U-Verse areas have both DirecTV and U-Verse displays and packages deals, while the stores outside of U-Verse areas have only DirecTV displayed. I know they give discounts on bundles with TV, internet, and phone. Do they give the same bundle discount if you sign up with DirecTV through them?

This is only possible if you happen to be in a U-Verse area though. And most of the country is not.

In my area, FiOS is probably the best. I just don't sub to FiOS because I cannot take it with me when I travel.

Perhaps you can answer this question since you are in a U-Verse area. I have been spending a lot of time at ATT stores looking at new cell phones. I noticed that the ones in U-Verse areas have both DirecTV and U-Verse displays and packages deals, while the stores outside of U-Verse areas have only DirecTV displayed. I know they give discounts on bundles with TV, internet, and phone. Do they give the same bundle discount if you sign up with DirecTV through them?


Yes, No matter what tv bundle you choose, you get the same discounts. U verse is actually available in something like 13 diffrent states covering 35 percent of the country. Most people say that it isnt a viable option as it isnt avaliable across the country, I begg to differ as uvers is avaliable in more areas than most people realize. Uverse has a way bigger penitration than fios, and they are penitrating alot quicker than what most realize. Att has come out and said they want 50 percent of the country covered by uverse by 2010. Thats only 6 months away, and the rate of rollout of uverse, I think that target is looking like it will happen.

:D:D Why what ever do you mean?:D:D:D

i don't know what he means either ;):D

As far as HD programming over-all, outside of sports, Dish has led for all except about 8 months of the past 3 years

this is true. i am a witness to that but yet for some reason i'm happier where i am now. i love POS dvr's :D:D:eek:. but seriously there are many reasons why i'm much happier with D but things change so you never know;)

Yes, No matter what tv bundle you choose, you get the same discounts. U verse is actually available in something like 13 diffrent states covering 35 percent of the country. Most people say that it isnt a viable option as it isnt avaliable across the country, I begg to differ as uvers is avaliable in more areas than most people realize. Uverse has a way bigger penitration than fios, and they are penitrating alot quicker than what most realize. Att has come out and said they want 50 percent of the country covered by uverse by 2010. Thats only 6 months away, and the rate of rollout of uverse, I think that target is looking like it will happen.Cool. So my grandparents will be able to get a bundle deal through ATT for their DirecTV if they switch their phone and internet to U-Verse?

Less than 50% still means that are not available to most.

Isn't part of the reason they are growing quicker than FiOS is due to the fact that they do not spend as much time and resources laying fiber to the house?

this is true. i am a witness to that but yet for some reason i'm happier where i am now. i love POS dvr's :D:D:eek:. but seriously there are many reasons why i'm much happier with D but things change so you never know;)

Wait until Direct add more HD next year. You may be even happier

Wait until Direct add more HD next year. You may be even happier

i'm hoping to experience one of those waves like you and hemi did back in 07

i'm hoping to experience one of those waves like you and hemi did back in 07 It was Nice.
But short lived. I can honestly say since that wave with D*, Not much that intrests me happend on the D* side since.:(
Dish has been giving me steady waves of new channels SD and HD,Promotions on equipment and programming since 2007-2009.:hungry::clap

Let me throw another wrinkle into this thread. Do you think that the 700 mhz spectrum that Dish or Echostar, which ever one it is has, will allow the companie(s) to be more competitive with DBS and Cable/Teleco?
They could use that bandwidth to offer high speed internet access along with perhaps a fast way to stream downloaded content to their boxes?

It was Nice.
But short lived. I can honestly say since that wave with D*, Not much that intrests me happend on the D* side since.:(
Dish has been giving me steady waves of new channels SD and HD,Promotions on equipment and programming since 2007-2009.:hungry::clap

And we have a winner!!!!!!! :D :up :up

And for me, small spurts of new channels every few months is a great thing. Indeed, I have every channel I could want, except maybe (and this may be greedy), a few more premium movie channels - since I am paying for them.

Let me throw another wrinkle into this thread. Do you think that the 700 mhz spectrum that Dish or Echostar, which ever one it is has, will allow the companie(s) to be more competitive with DBS and Cable/Teleco?
They could use that bandwidth to offer high speed internet access along with perhaps a fast way to stream downloaded content to their boxes? Guess we'll see.;)