Is there any update on DirecTV's vacating the 72.5w slot and Dish possibly picking up the other 16 transponders at 72.5W (72.7W)?
Dish to pick up the other 16 transponder at 72.5w?
- Thread starter tkrandall
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And, the odds favor Dish getting all 32 transponders. 72.5W Canadian service would require new multisatellite antennas, The Canadians have a bunch of new 17Ghz satellites scheduled for launch in the next 12-24 months to be located very close to their exisitng fleets so they will likely have lots of excess capacity.
It would really fill out the Eastern Arc.
I would have to agree that Dish will get use of all 32 TPs at 72.7 W. A big question is when. Is the agreement between DirecTV and Telesat require DirecTV to vacate 72.7 W when Nimiq 5 is operational or will DirecTV have some time so that they can move their local channels to the DirecTV-12 satellite which is scheduled to launch on a Proton right after Nimiq 5. If Dish does get all 32 TPs at 72.7 W then this would free up a great deal of space at 61.5 W and 77 W for future spotbeams from the E-15 and QuetzSat-1 satellites at there respective slots since Nimiq 5 is a CONUS only satellite.
I hear DirecTV may already have the 72.5w local channels mirrored on 99w or 103w (in MPEG4), so the question is getting all the 72.5w customers with SD only equipement migrated to MPEG-4 equipment (HD capable) and a slimline Ka/Ku dish so they can keep their locals after 72.5w is shut off. I wonder if DirecTV may want to drag their feet to slow down Echostar in getting the 72.5w licenses.
I would think a good lawyer would have inserted drop dead language in the contract to prevent slot hogging -- something like no longer than 90 days after FCC approval of readiness to operate.
This is not controlled by the FCC. DIRECTV is paying to rent those TPs. DIRECTV cannot hog the TPs or delay unless they work out a deal with Telesat.
I stumbled onto this Directv ex-part presentation to the FCC while researching the new 17Ghz satellites.
Directv has extended their lease for 16 transponders at 72.5W until Sept 2011. Service at that slot will apparantly be phased out between now and that date.
So, the launch of Nimiq 5 will not provide Echostar more than the exiting 16 transponders they presently lease at 72.5W (for now anyway).
http://licensing.fcc.gov/ibfsweb/ib.page.FetchAttachment?attachment_key=704752
Directv has extended their lease for 16 transponders at 72.5W until Sept 2011. Service at that slot will apparantly be phased out between now and that date.
So, the launch of Nimiq 5 will not provide Echostar more than the exiting 16 transponders they presently lease at 72.5W (for now anyway).
http://licensing.fcc.gov/ibfsweb/ib.page.FetchAttachment?attachment_key=704752
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Those sats are sloted for 111.1 & 113.0 for Shaw Direct (Star Choice) use, there is room for non Canadian market use also available on those satellites. Bell will not be using these Satellites.
Very interesting! Note that DirecTV going from even to odd transponders at 72.5w for the remainder of their term - I guess that means DISH has to make a swap too?
I wonder how this affects any near term plans DISH might have had for the eastern arc. Reading between the lines, it sounds like DirecTV will be phasing out their ops between Jan 2010 and Sept 2011, so maybe more 72.5/72.7 transponders will become available piecemeal as DirecTV abandons them.
I think Dish not getting the 16 TPs at 72.7 W makes it more likely that E-6 will be going to 61.5 W after Nimiq 5 is launched and operational. E-5 is just going have to hold the fort at 148 W until something else can be moved there perhaps E-7 after E-14 gets launched to 119 W.
Just to complicate it a little more, even though there have been indications of a late summer launch for Nimiq 5, the Telesat Nimiq web page says they expect it to be placed in service " in early 2010". A launch in late October or early November would fit that schedule.
Bell will likely start using Nimiq 5 for feeds for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, as Bell is the main Telecommunications sponsor for this event.
I noticed tonight that Directv has turned off transponders 6, 16, 22, 28 and 32 on Directv 1R at 72.5° W. Perhaps Dish Network will be turning on those transponders on Nimiq 5 soon.
I doubt it. Look at what Directv ended up doing several years ago when they got the 3 transponders at the 110 orbital location from I believe was USSB.
They could have easily let the licenses expire, or worked out some sort of transponder swap with Dish, instead they went ahead and launched something to keep the licenses active and to not loose them to DISH Network.
Same thing will happen here, I wouldn't be surprised if they launched their new 3D HDTV service from this slot, or put something insigniciant up there just to keep the licenses active and not allow them to go to Dish.
16 Transponders could easily launch HD Locals in an additional 30 Cities, something which Directv does not want to see happen
They could have easily let the licenses expire, or worked out some sort of transponder swap with Dish, instead they went ahead and launched something to keep the licenses active and to not loose them to DISH Network.
Same thing will happen here, I wouldn't be surprised if they launched their new 3D HDTV service from this slot, or put something insigniciant up there just to keep the licenses active and not allow them to go to Dish.
16 Transponders could easily launch HD Locals in an additional 30 Cities, something which Directv does not want to see happen
