Work Continues On Voom Satellites

[James Long]

"What it probably means is at this very moment, no one has bothered to issue a stop work to Lockheed Martin," the source told Satellite News.

Auto-pilot. Nobody told them to stop.

In any case, Lockheed Martin can convert the satellites to other uses this early in the game. That's why the penalties start in November ... when they start the part of the process that is specific to the order. Cancelling after then could cause LM to 'undo' work to convert to another buyer's needs.

It doesn't hurt to have some shells started. E* already has 5 LM satellites in the air, is launching E10 (another LM satellite) this fall. The next one (E11) is Loral, but E* will be needing a satellite for 148 and replacements for E1 and E2 at 148 and E3 at 61.5 eventually. Those orders are going to go to some company. And if not those orders, LM can use the shells for someone else.

these sats were strictly designed for television.

Nah. They were designed to repeat whatever signal is sent to them. The satellite doesn't care if it is TV, radio or data.

JL

 

[JimP]

I suspect that Voom has been paying for the construction of the new satellites along the way, so they're better off trying to sell their interest in them to someone else rather than abandon what they've already paid for .

 

[mkm4]

Remeber, the first sat is at least 34 months away from completion.

 

[danielle_s]

as of today their only 28 months. Also I belive the press release stated that the first would be completed and launched in about 34 months. I could be wrong but personally I don't think it takes 34 months to build a satellite unless it's so complex and new technology that it's going to take awhile to build.

 

[mkm4]

A press release from the end of Nov 2004, said 38 to 50 months.

Past build times can be found here.

Though it might not take 38 months to phyiscally assemble a sat, they are not Lockheed's only customer.

 

[rocatman]

I believe the Ka band licenses for these five satellites were at 62, 71, 77, 119 and 129 W. Currently Dish is doing a great deal of Ka band testing with AMC-15 and 16 and maybe interested in these satellites and associated slots based on this testing so Cablevision/Rainbow maybe waiting for an offer from Dish. Dish could use a single dish to get DBS/Ka band at 61.5/62 as well as at 119 W. Dish is also in the process of trying to get DBS access at 77 and 129 W. Dish could also modify these satellites so they carry both Ka and DBS on one satellite. Remember that Cablevision/Rainbow already gave Lockheed Martin several million dollars to start satellite construction so they certainly would like to recoup some if not all of that money.

 

[hehdaddy]

Satellite construction is in high demand, so there will always be someone there to fill up LM's schedule.

 

[bryan27]

Brian27....with what you just said...can you say...VERIZON..?

Uh, no I can't. I will not conduct business with Verizon nor will I conduct business with Comcast. This is based on my principals. These companies have become far too huge, impersonal, and powerful that no mater what kind of enticing services they offer I will not sign up with them.

I left Verizon as soon as local telco competition arrived. Life has become so pleasant without them. Since I have a locally based phone provider I can go downtown an pay my bill at their office, their service is 25% less than Verizon, when I call the operator or the company I am speaking with a live individual downtown.

I also doubt Verizon will start FIOP in this area. They don't own the lines or infrastructure. The State Government contracts Verizon to maintain the infrastructure. I don't know if this is what it is like in other areas with telco competition, but every local provider here has the same access and use rights to the system as everyone else, so if the lines are converted to fiber and Verizon begins FIOP then all the other providers are free to do so over the same lines Verizon installed. I really don't see Verizon building a new infrastructure where it must then let competitors use that infrastructure for competing services.

 

[gutter]

As far as the Motoral HD DVR. You make it sound as if was made exclusviely for VOOM . It is not. DIRECT TV will also offer it. This same HD DVR is being launched in Canada on May1st to be use with the Star Choice Satellite services. They also use Canadian encoded same motorola reciever as VOOM. So VOOm was by no means an exclusive with Motorola.

 

[mkm4]

They also use Canadian encoded same motorola reciever as VOOM. So VOOm was by no means an exclusive with Motorola.

The Starchoice DSR-500 receiver only looks similar. The internals are different.

 

[Jumbo Dumbo]

The Starchoice DSR-500 receiver only looks similar. The internals are different.

Yes it is the SC HDDR (DSR530) hardware that is the same as the Voom DSR 580 would have been. Motorola and Star Choice were well on the way with this project before Voom was even born. The difference is that the SC unit will ship without the ATSC modules installed.

The firmware is entirely different. 530 is a joint Motorola/SC production whereas 580 was Ucentric/Voom. But since Motorola bought Ucentric, it looks like the SC Whole Home Server will have Ucentric firmware similar to DTV.

 

[gutter]

The Starchoice DSR-500 receiver only looks similar. The internals are different.

The model number is DSR-530 and the only differnece is that it is encoded for just the Canadian satellites. So it is all Canadian or nothing.

 

[mkm4]

The last sentence in your original statement reads like VOOM and Starchoice are using the same current equipment, not the future DVR equipment.

 

[Dvlos]

Maybe they're seeing if Charlie wants to buy these also

I think Charlie is going to take the new satellites and relaunch Voom as "No Kids Allowed" or "My Son fondles Rocks" HD Service.

 

[Wayne88]

Motorola HDDVR

As far as the Motoral HD DVR. You make it sound as if was made exclusviely for VOOM . It is not. DIRECT TV will also offer it. This same HD DVR is being launched in Canada on May1st to be use with the Star Choice Satellite services. They also use Canadian encoded same motorola reciever as VOOM. So VOOm was by no means an exclusive with Motorola.

Comcast apparently provides a single tuner Motorola DCT 6208 and a dual tuner Motorola DCT 6212 (both for HDDVR). I will find out what I get next Saturday (it better be dual !!!!!)
Wayne

 

[andrzej]

Comcast apparently provides a single tuner Motorola DCT 6208 and a dual tuner Motorola DCT 6212 (both for HDDVR). I will find out what I get next Saturday (it better be dual !!!!!)
Wayne

Actually, 6412. That's what I have. I kinda like it.

 

[gutter]

The last sentence in your original statement reads like VOOM and Starchoice are using the same current equipment, not the future DVR equipment.

Star choice will be using the same HD DVR as VOOM was just only able to record off of Canadian Satellites is all but it is the some otherwise. It is available on May 1st for current customers and May 15th for everyone else. Dual Tuner i believe also. Ask Iceburg

 

[JWK]

Uh, no I can't. I will not conduct business with Verizon nor will I conduct business with Comcast. This is based on my principals. These companies have become far too huge, impersonal, and powerful that no mater what kind of enticing services they offer I will not sign up with them.

I left Verizon as soon as local telco competition arrived. Life has become so pleasant without them. Since I have a locally based phone provider I can go downtown an pay my bill at their office, their service is 25% less than Verizon, when I call the operator or the company I am speaking with a live individual downtown.

I also doubt Verizon will start FIOP in this area. They don't own the lines or infrastructure. The State Government contracts Verizon to maintain the infrastructure. I don't know if this is what it is like in other areas with telco competition, but every local provider here has the same access and use rights to the system as everyone else, so if the lines are converted to fiber and Verizon begins FIOP then all the other providers are free to do so over the same lines Verizon installed. I really don't see Verizon building a new infrastructure where it must then let competitors use that infrastructure for competing services.

Is your local infrastructure shared due to some state or local regulation?

Because, if not, this will all change very soon -- the Feds removed the regulations requiring telcos to share infrastructure with outsiders. My wife works for a local telco down here, and they had to lay off about 1/5 of their employees because of the change, as it meant they would no longer market services outside of the region where they had the physical infrastructure in place.

 

[johnalan]

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE given enough time and money.
These positive thoughts are much better than all the moaning going on in most threads.
LOOK how many people are here on this Friday evening, still curious about a service that is waiting to die. Amazing. I hope the VoOM forum, or some outgrowth of it, are around for the months ahead...it could get interesting!

 

[bryan27]

Is your local infrastructure shared due to some state or local regulation?

Yes, it is shared through state regulation. Verizon has the current contract to maintain infrastructure (at least here locally), but it can be given to any telco.

There are additional fees tacked on everyone's phone bills for infrastructure maintence. So although I don't have Verizon I still pay to maintain the lines. The only other downfall to competition here is the need to have 3 phone books as each directory from each company doesn't cover the entire calling area.