Why So Many DISH Info Channels?
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I have a DISH 500 that pulls in 110 and 119. My guide shows the following DISH Info channels:

Chan #Chan Name Description
100INFO Dish Answer Channel
101DISH 1 Dish Network News, Charlie Chats, Technical Forums
240INFO 7 Info for viewers where rebroadcast permission problems exist
250INFO Dish 500 Install video
251INFO 1 Dish "How To" Order PPV, Read your Bill, Understand your Warranty, Get Service, Use Adult Guard,etc.
253PROMO What's on Dish 500
988DISH 6 Showroom Promotions, Retailer Chats (available only to Retailers)
989DISH 5 Dish Network News

Some are showing the same programs at the same time (100 and 989). On 240 all I've ever seen is a logo with elevator music. 988 is currently showing Showroom Promotions. Why so many channels, why the duplication, and why are they scattered all over the dial?

Also, how many more Info channels will show up if I also pick up the 61.5 bird?

This question was asked in 1999. The info channels have changed, but the question is still asked, "Why so many info channels?" The original answer is followed by updates on the info channels. The reasons for the current info channels' existance are still relevant to this answer.
Channel 101, 999 and 989 are the same from three different satellites. Not everyone has a dish pointed at the 119° birds. Channel 100 came first. When E*3 launched to 61.5, channel 101 was being used for Retailer demonstrations (same as channel 988 and 998 now). So they used the other end of the channel range so. Channel 999 for consumer info and channel 998 for retailer info/sales video.
Update When this article was written in alt.dbs.echostar newsgroup, USA Network was on channel 102 Comedy Central was on 104 and it was rumored that USA (West) would be on channels 103. This is why channels 102 and 103 were not used at the time either.

When E*5 was launched (remember it wasn't even part of the plan when E*3 went up! E*5 and 110° was a surprise gift from Rupert Merdock and the U.S. Justice System) The other 990 channels were being used by Sky Angel's radio channels. So the next place was 989 and 988 for the two channels to be mirrored.

Channels 240 is simple: if you were cut off from a network, instead of getting a "You have selected a subcription channel" message, you would get this channel that immediately borders the nets.

Channel 100 @ 119
Channel 101 @ 119
Channel 240 @ 119
Channel 250 @ 119
Channel 251 @ 119
Channel 253 @ 110
Channel 988 @ 110
Channel 989 @ 110
Channel 999 @ 61.5
Dish Network News and Inside Dish Network is a channel devoted to divulging "official" dish network information as well as hyping and selling programming packages.

Channel 101 @ 119° (deleted last summer) Channel 988 @ 110°
Channel 998 @ 61.5°
Barker channels for dealers. This channel should really be removed from all consumer's guides. It is intended to help the dealer sell the Dish Network system by having a short "Why Dish is so Great!" video for prospective customers.

Channel 240° @ 119° Was used when the network channels were about to be cut off for everyone who didn't qualify. It ran an "It's not our fault! Don't be mad at us, go throw an egg at your Congressman." video. Many people did loose their signals just before the new SHVIA was passed. Dish is now using a VERY nice loophole in the law that states that if Dish asks for a waiver for a customer, unless the station denies the waiver SPECIFICALLY for a particular customer within 30 days, the customer is granted a defacto temporary waiver until the station actually gets around to denying the waiver request. Of coarse the hope is the station never responds.

Channel 250 @ 119° Used to mirror channel 240 New locals announcements, dish 500 upgrade deal and installation video. At one point it was just a remapped channel 240 but only visible to DishNet subscribers.

Channel 251 @ 119° Dish's billing FAQ. (Frequently Asked Questions)

All these information channels are designed to help reduce the number of calls to the call center.

Channel 490 @ 119° Currently it mirrors channel 251 programming (and therefore uses next to no extra bandwidth), but in the "Info" screen it has instructions on how to block out the nasty, evil, lurid, demonistic, satanic, smut-filled, women-exploitative, adult channels from your EPG :-) Now if they could only do that for the shopping channels... I find those most offensive!

This channel is conveniently located just below (hmmm) the adult channels.

Channel 500 @ 119° Pay Per View preview extravaganza!

Channel 501 @ 119° Pay Per View "special" live event preview and presale!

Both channels are located conveniently next to all the PPV channels.
Another point is that those three channels run in free-to-air mode, allowing installers to confirm actual reception (no matter which orbital slot or slots are being used) before calling in to activate services.

UPDATE 10/11/01

Currently the info channels look like this
ch#nameDescriptionSat. Loc.
100INFODish Answer Channel119°
101Dish 1Inside Dish Network News119°
103ONPPVThree Minute Movie Guide (Mirror of channel 500)119°
139ONPPVThree Minute Sports and Event Guide (Mirror of channel 501)119°
240Info 7Dish Network Info (Affected sub from net cut offs only)119°
251Info 1Dish Network Info (Mirror of channel 100)119°
450ONPPV3 Minute Sports & Event Guide (mirror of channel 501)119°
490ALOCKAdult Guard Support (Mirror of ch. 100 with info screen directions on how to use Adult Lock to remove adult channel from the EPG)119°
500ONPPV3 Minute Movie Guide119°
501ONPPV3 Minute Sports & Event Guide119°
580INFOInternational Promotional Info.61.5°/148°
988DISH 6Showroom Promotions (Dealer Chats only available to dealers)110°
989DISH 5Inside Dish Network News (Same as Channel 101)110°
998DISH 4Showroom Promotions (Same as channel 988)61.5°
9443HDTV 3HDTV Demo Channel (Viewable only with an HDTV receiver)61.5°
9900PROMOWhat's On Dish 500? (Promoting 110° programming)110°



The current "info channel" line-up (6/15/02):
Ch#EPGProgram NameSat Loc.
101HELPRemote Control Help119°
103ONPPV3 Minute Pay Per View Guide (Mirror of Channel 500)119°
103ONPPV3 Minute Pay Per View Guide (Mirror of Channel 500)119°
450ONPPV3 Minute Pay Per View Guide (Mirror of Channel 500)119°
490ALOCKAdult Guard Support (Mirror of ch. 101 with info screen directions on how to use Adult Lock to remove adult channels from the EPG)119°
500ONPPV3 Minute Pay Per View Guide 119°
501ONPPV3 Minute Pay Per View Guide (Mirror of Channel 500)119°
580INFOInternational Promotional Info61.5° & 148°
754LOCLSLocals Information110°
988DISH 6Showroom Promotions (only available to dealers)110°
998DISH 4Showroom Promotions (only available to dealers)61.5° & 148°
999RTLRRetailer Info (Only available to dealers)110°
9443HDTV 3HDTV Demo Channel (Viewable only with an HDTV receiver)61.5°
9480DOLBYDolby Digital Promo (viewable to Dealers with DD receiver ONLY)110°
9900D500What's On DISH 500?110°