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Both DIRECTV and EchoStar report a sharp decline in subscription growth. And it may not be a coincidence.
By Phillip Swann
Washington, D.C. (August 10, 2005) -- For more than a decade, the satellite TV industry has been dishing it out, stealing customers from cable with a dazzling array of innovative features and services. DIRECTV and EchoStar, the nation's top two satcasters, each have amassed more than 10 million subscribers and done so at a breathtaking pace.
But there are signs that satellite's wild ride may have finally hit a roadblock. EchoStar this week reported that it added approximately 225,000 net subscribers in the second quarter, a 33 percent drop from the 340,000 subs it added in last year's second quarter. EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen cited increased competition from telcos, cable and DIRECTV as one reason for the loss.
However, DIRECTV reported last week that its 2005 second quarter net subscribers dropped 45 percent to 225,000.
It should be noted that both satellite TV services also reported a profit for the second quarter despite the subscription dips. (Although the profits were largely the result of one-time tax and accounting benefits.) In addition, DIRECTV now has 14.7 million subscribers while EchoStar is at 11.4 million. The two companies are hardly headed to the poorhouse.
But the subscription drop shouldn't be dismissed as either a one-time occurrence caused by increased competition or a seasonal glitch related to consumer spending and interest. The satellite TV industry is facing three serious challenges, perhaps the most serious in its history:
1. Digital Cable
For years, many people purchased satellite dishes from either DIRECTV or EchoStar simply because they provided more channels than cable -- a lot more channels. In the 1990s, when cable carried 50 channels or less in most markets, the satellite providers offered more than 200. When I was publisher of Satellite DIRECT magazine in the 1990s, I commissioned Nielsen Media Research to conduct four major studies over three years, asking consumers why they were buying dishes. The number one reason in each study: more channels.
However, thanks to new digital cable set-tops, cable TV operators can now offer as many channels as the satcasters. Satellite's best weapon of the past decade has been taken out of its arsenal.
2. New Technology
In the last few years, there has been an explosion of new TV technologies, such as High-Definition TV, Digital Video Recording and Video on Demand. Both cable and satellite operators have struggled to find more bandwidth to add these new features. However, the battle has been more taxing for the satcasters because they beam their signals from satellites in the sky,which have finite capacity.
Consequently, DIRECTV and EchoStar have been slow of late to expand their HDTV lineups (although EchoStar did add 10 HD channels from Cablevision's Voom satellite service, which has been closed.) and they still do not provide Video on Demand service, which cable does.
DIRECTV is launching four new satellites over the next two years to add capacity for HDTV and other services -- and EchoStar promises to expand as well. But satellite's recent subscription dip could be a byproduct of the industry's current technology gap. More consumers now see cable as offering more choice, which used to be satellite's most attractive selling point.
And while DIRECTV is attempting to close this gap with the new satellites, cable operators are expanding their capacities as well -- and more cheaply than launching rockets in the sky.
3. The Law of Diminishing Returns
The satellite industry now has more than 25 million subscribers, but future growth could be limited simply because people can't get the signals where they live. Unlike cable, whose wires can bypass pesky obstacles such as trees and buildings, the satellite dish must have a clear view of the southern sky (where the satellites are positioned) to display the signals. Many consumers live in an apartment building with no place to install the dish or in a house whose southern view is blocked. They might want to get the dish, but can't.
The satellite industry has done a terrific job implementing programs that permit multiple apartments to share one dish. But the southern sky problem could become a larger one in the coming years as the industry tries to expand its base.
DIRECTV and EchoStar, of course, are aware of these three challenges, which explains why they are busily adding new services and investing in the infrastructure necessary to add even more. And the two satcasters have demonstrated extraordinary courage and creativity in the past when facing similar battles. They shouldn't be counted out, particularly when you consider that DIRECTV is owned by the deep-pocketed and resourceful News Corp. (Under the crafty Ergen, EchoStar has also baffled the naysayers.)
But the satellite industry may soon find that it can no longer count on rapid subscription growth -- no matter how much it spends.
Both DIRECTV and EchoStar report a sharp decline in subscription growth. And it may not be a coincidence.
By Phillip Swann
Washington, D.C. (August 10, 2005) -- For more than a decade, the satellite TV industry has been dishing it out, stealing customers from cable with a dazzling array of innovative features and services. DIRECTV and EchoStar, the nation's top two satcasters, each have amassed more than 10 million subscribers and done so at a breathtaking pace.
But there are signs that satellite's wild ride may have finally hit a roadblock. EchoStar this week reported that it added approximately 225,000 net subscribers in the second quarter, a 33 percent drop from the 340,000 subs it added in last year's second quarter. EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen cited increased competition from telcos, cable and DIRECTV as one reason for the loss.
However, DIRECTV reported last week that its 2005 second quarter net subscribers dropped 45 percent to 225,000.
It should be noted that both satellite TV services also reported a profit for the second quarter despite the subscription dips. (Although the profits were largely the result of one-time tax and accounting benefits.) In addition, DIRECTV now has 14.7 million subscribers while EchoStar is at 11.4 million. The two companies are hardly headed to the poorhouse.
But the subscription drop shouldn't be dismissed as either a one-time occurrence caused by increased competition or a seasonal glitch related to consumer spending and interest. The satellite TV industry is facing three serious challenges, perhaps the most serious in its history:
1. Digital Cable
For years, many people purchased satellite dishes from either DIRECTV or EchoStar simply because they provided more channels than cable -- a lot more channels. In the 1990s, when cable carried 50 channels or less in most markets, the satellite providers offered more than 200. When I was publisher of Satellite DIRECT magazine in the 1990s, I commissioned Nielsen Media Research to conduct four major studies over three years, asking consumers why they were buying dishes. The number one reason in each study: more channels.
However, thanks to new digital cable set-tops, cable TV operators can now offer as many channels as the satcasters. Satellite's best weapon of the past decade has been taken out of its arsenal.
2. New Technology
In the last few years, there has been an explosion of new TV technologies, such as High-Definition TV, Digital Video Recording and Video on Demand. Both cable and satellite operators have struggled to find more bandwidth to add these new features. However, the battle has been more taxing for the satcasters because they beam their signals from satellites in the sky,which have finite capacity.
Consequently, DIRECTV and EchoStar have been slow of late to expand their HDTV lineups (although EchoStar did add 10 HD channels from Cablevision's Voom satellite service, which has been closed.) and they still do not provide Video on Demand service, which cable does.
DIRECTV is launching four new satellites over the next two years to add capacity for HDTV and other services -- and EchoStar promises to expand as well. But satellite's recent subscription dip could be a byproduct of the industry's current technology gap. More consumers now see cable as offering more choice, which used to be satellite's most attractive selling point.
And while DIRECTV is attempting to close this gap with the new satellites, cable operators are expanding their capacities as well -- and more cheaply than launching rockets in the sky.
3. The Law of Diminishing Returns
The satellite industry now has more than 25 million subscribers, but future growth could be limited simply because people can't get the signals where they live. Unlike cable, whose wires can bypass pesky obstacles such as trees and buildings, the satellite dish must have a clear view of the southern sky (where the satellites are positioned) to display the signals. Many consumers live in an apartment building with no place to install the dish or in a house whose southern view is blocked. They might want to get the dish, but can't.
The satellite industry has done a terrific job implementing programs that permit multiple apartments to share one dish. But the southern sky problem could become a larger one in the coming years as the industry tries to expand its base.
DIRECTV and EchoStar, of course, are aware of these three challenges, which explains why they are busily adding new services and investing in the infrastructure necessary to add even more. And the two satcasters have demonstrated extraordinary courage and creativity in the past when facing similar battles. They shouldn't be counted out, particularly when you consider that DIRECTV is owned by the deep-pocketed and resourceful News Corp. (Under the crafty Ergen, EchoStar has also baffled the naysayers.)
But the satellite industry may soon find that it can no longer count on rapid subscription growth -- no matter how much it spends.
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1648 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68766 Replies
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2686369 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Cutting Edge
7 Replies
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193 views
Fox Closes $22 Billion Roku Takeover, Says Streaming Platform Will Remain ‘Open Ecosystem’
Surprise! Fox Corp. has closed its acquisition of streaming platform Roku, a deal valued at $22 billion, well ahead of the expected 2027 date.
variety.com
Surprise! Fox Corp. said Friday it has closed the acquisition of streaming platform Roku, a deal valued at $22 billion, well ahead of the expected 2027 date.
That is what I have to explain to customers all the time. They want it free with no ads
Supporting Founder
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
According to this article on The Verge, Videostrong Technologies based in Shenzen, China, placed a backdoor into 1.3 million of their devices and used this to deploy a botnet:
www.theverge.com
One of Google’s Android partners turned 1.3 million set-top boxes into a botnet
A manufacturer intentionally hijacked its Android TV devices.
www.theverge.com
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248 views
Someone's, need to neuter the red China's junk they keeps spewing out... 
How about they just neuter China ...Someone's, need to neuter the red China's junk they keeps spewing out...
Only, If they can make a coup on the Chinese government! 
Looks like this was just the latest in Android TV-based botnets. From last year on The Register:
www.theregister.com
Google sues 25 alleged BadBox 2.0 botnet operators
: Ads giant complains of damage to its reputation and finances ... and crime, too
Looks like this was just the latest in Android TV-based botnets. From last year on The Register:
Google sues 25 alleged BadBox 2.0 botnet operators
: Ads giant complains of damage to its reputation and finances ... and crime, too
"It's unlikely the suit will see any of the accused held to account, as they're in China and the Middle Kingdom seldom allows extraditions to the USA."
Just like all the other scams happening, they're overseas and beyond our juris-my-diction.
Staff member
Pub Member / Supporter
Cutting Edge
The TPN Map Excel Presents all DIRECTV Channels:
Understanding the TPN Map
Making Sense of the TPN Map Display Conventions
National (50-States or wide/NAT+PR beams)
Local (Local-Into-Local or narrow/Spot beams)
Local (Local-Into-Local or narrow/Spot beams)
Additional tabs provide:
OTA the (Over-The-Air) Database
VOD (Video On_Demand) Records
Offline Records
Engr Records
Net Decoder a graphic presentation of all satellites and transponders
VOD (Video On_Demand) Records
Offline Records
Engr Records
Net Decoder a graphic presentation of all satellites and transponders
Domestic Satellites
@99W...... D11, D14
@101W.... D16
@103W.... D12, D15
@110W.... D5
@119W.... D8
@99W...... D11, D14
@101W.... D16
@103W.... D12, D15
@110W.... D5
@119W.... D8
Understanding the TPN Map
Making Sense of the TPN Map Display Conventions
2181 Replies
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954008 views
D
All 3 Circle City broadcasting local channels 6-ABC, 8-CW & 23-MNTV in Indianapolis, IN are being added to both sat & stream, if not already there:
thedesk.net
Circle City Broadcasting stations return to DIRECTV | TheDesk.net
The deal restores WRTV, the Indianapolis ABC affiliate, and two other stations that have been unavailable on DIRECTV's platform since 2019.
thedesk.net
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Didn't see a thread like this so I figured why not start one. This is about natural supplements. If you aren't into supplements, fine, but please let those of us who do want to discuss this discuss it.
The first one I wanted to mention has been a real life changer. I'm 62 and still do all of my own install work at my business....also do all the yard work at the house. A few years ago I started noticing that I was losing my range of movement, it was even getting hard to bend over and lace up my boots. Almost got stuck in an attic because I couldn't get turned around once the work was done. Didn't think much of it and figured with age comes stiffness that was only going to get worse as time went on.
It was then that I stumbled across a video which was discussing rotator cuff tears and why they were to prevalent these days. Turns out, the culprit is a simple deficiency in MANGANESE which is key in keeping your tendons flexible. Most anti-biotics strip your body of any manganese it might have had which is why certain anti-biotics, especially those in the Cipro family. I actually knew a man who had two tendons tear while on that stuff.
Went to Amazon and ordered some manganese. Now it took a while, it wasn't instant, but gradually I have regained all of my flexibility. I can bend over and touch my toes while standing with no pain and putting on my boots is no longer a chore.
Pretty cheap too. The bottle I ordered was a 200 ct for under $13. They said to take double the normal dose for the first month because most people are severely lacking, then go to one a day.
The first one I wanted to mention has been a real life changer. I'm 62 and still do all of my own install work at my business....also do all the yard work at the house. A few years ago I started noticing that I was losing my range of movement, it was even getting hard to bend over and lace up my boots. Almost got stuck in an attic because I couldn't get turned around once the work was done. Didn't think much of it and figured with age comes stiffness that was only going to get worse as time went on.
It was then that I stumbled across a video which was discussing rotator cuff tears and why they were to prevalent these days. Turns out, the culprit is a simple deficiency in MANGANESE which is key in keeping your tendons flexible. Most anti-biotics strip your body of any manganese it might have had which is why certain anti-biotics, especially those in the Cipro family. I actually knew a man who had two tendons tear while on that stuff.
Went to Amazon and ordered some manganese. Now it took a while, it wasn't instant, but gradually I have regained all of my flexibility. I can bend over and touch my toes while standing with no pain and putting on my boots is no longer a chore.
Pretty cheap too. The bottle I ordered was a 200 ct for under $13. They said to take double the normal dose for the first month because most people are severely lacking, then go to one a day.
11 Replies
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252 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
I bought the fixed color version of these bulbs for my store several years ago...work great and no more replacing ballast. Finally had one go out and when I went back to Amazon I saw that now they come in selectable versions so no more guess work as to what color light would do best in a certain area. They are now double OR single ended...used to be strictly one way or the other. If any of you are looking at replacing the old style 4 or 8 ft bulbs, you might want to give these a try. The 8 footers are BRIGHT. I put 5 in my shooting/target shed and you can get a decent tan if you are in there long enough.
4 Replies
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92 views
Marques Brownlee
Time for another AWESOME video from Marques Brownlee!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x58r9TBois
Direct YouTube Link - Meta VR Glasses: What Vision Pro 2 COULD Have Been!
The official MKBHD Website!
The MKBHD Store
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x58r9TBois
Direct YouTube Link - Meta VR Glasses: What Vision Pro 2 COULD Have Been!
The official MKBHD Website!
The MKBHD Store
0 Replies
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17 views
Supporting Founder
Pub Member / Supporter
Apple Fall Hardware Event takes place today, September 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET. It marks the debut of new CEO John Ternus and the expected reveal of Apple's first foldable phone.
140 Replies
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2341 views
S
when was the last time they innovated something
I'd probably say when they came up with their M-series of processors with integrated memory. That allowed Apple to get away from the inefficient Intel CPUs that were limiting their notebook computers.when was the last time they innovated something
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6UJXAJfomcE
Direct YouTube Link - Apple's Q4 2026 Earnings Report
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6UJXAJfomcE
Direct YouTube Link - Apple's Q4 2026 Earnings Report
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
0 Replies
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14 views
Supporting Founder
Does anyone here use Apple Home/HomeKit with HomePods or Apple TV to automate smart devices in their house? We have had Amazon's Alexa set up in our house for the last 10+ years and I have been waiting to switch them out to Apple for a few reasons; We are already in the Apple ecosystem with our phones, tablets, and computers. I have never liked Amazon's stance on privacy and I really like that Apple has pushed for privacy for a long time.
I bought 4 of the new HomePod Mini 2 speakers to go in various rooms in our house and we have one of the new Apple TVs on preorder that will be the start of me replacing our Rokus. I have the HomePod Mini 2s set up and have an RPi that is running HomeBridge for our legacy smart devices that worked natively with Alexa but don't work with Apple Home natively. I had trouble with the older smart bulbs not keeping the brightness or light color consistent with what our routines were with Alexa despite trying every setting in HomeBridge with the bulbs just not shining very bright. I ended up replacing them with updated versions that are Matter compatible so they work in Apple Home natively. That in and of itself has been interesting to set up because I have my home network segretated with the IoT devices on their own vlan and wifi and pretty locked down. Matter requires IPv6 and due to how my home network is designed I had to do some digging with AI to figure out how to make it all work correctly.
Apple Home definitely has some shortcomings that Alexa does much better with but I am hoping Apple will continue to improve their Home products and introduce features that will bring it closer to the functionality of Alexa.
I bought 4 of the new HomePod Mini 2 speakers to go in various rooms in our house and we have one of the new Apple TVs on preorder that will be the start of me replacing our Rokus. I have the HomePod Mini 2s set up and have an RPi that is running HomeBridge for our legacy smart devices that worked natively with Alexa but don't work with Apple Home natively. I had trouble with the older smart bulbs not keeping the brightness or light color consistent with what our routines were with Alexa despite trying every setting in HomeBridge with the bulbs just not shining very bright. I ended up replacing them with updated versions that are Matter compatible so they work in Apple Home natively. That in and of itself has been interesting to set up because I have my home network segretated with the IoT devices on their own vlan and wifi and pretty locked down. Matter requires IPv6 and due to how my home network is designed I had to do some digging with AI to figure out how to make it all work correctly.
Apple Home definitely has some shortcomings that Alexa does much better with but I am hoping Apple will continue to improve their Home products and introduce features that will bring it closer to the functionality of Alexa.
4 Replies
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36 views