From reading most all the posts here, I think there is room for argument on 61.5 being for PR/USVI. I see where the information about the launch talked about that, but I am not so sure Dish ever had an official package that included 61.5 for PR/USVI or ever endorsed it. Many customers in the CONUS who have a hybrid set-up did that on their own. That's in no way to blame them because I'm sure it meant they could not see 129.(See below about 129) For those CONUS customers, whether or not Dish did allow it, customers still have two choices. Add 72.7 and keep 110/119 or even drop 110 if you just have to have HD locals off of 119, which will get you all the channels, or go to the EA. What I posted above applies, if you can get 61.5, you can in most every case get 72.7.
I don't quite follow how the upgrade to the EA is somehow not warranted?? It does two huge things, provides MPEG4, and provides many more chances a customer can have Dish as their provider. Meanwhile they get more usage out of the Sats in the WA, no small thing considering the cost of each, and didn't force Dish to upgrade everyone at the same time.
As to why, we obviously don't know the long range plans. With 77 being underutilized and a new satellite going to 77 soon, locals could go to 77 as some are now, and leaves 61.5 for something we just don't know about. Or, any number of possibilities, but without knowing the plan, how can we say it does not make sense?
Which brings me to identifying the real problem, which certainly is not the EA. It's the 129 slot and Dish having the HD there. Many have the hybrid set-up because so many can not see 129. I don't think I am seeing many posts the other way around, where people have the EA but need 129 because of LOS.
Dish has been pushing for a one ARC, one satellite dish solution, and this is a good reason why. They need to be able to move channels around on an ARC, as circumstances need them to be. Picking your own satellites will open up the possibility of not having all the channels.