E* plans for 61.5 (and spotbeams at 110 & 119)?

[dlsnyder]

There have been several articles and threads over the last few days speculating that Charlie would add some or all of the VOOM 21 channels after April 30. Assuming that NOT to be true, based on what he had to say on Monday's Charlie Chat about waiting for MPEG-4, what ARE Charlie's plans for 61.5, assuming he successfully buys Rainbow 1 and its other assets? There are spotbeams on the thing which will be very useful with three uplink centers. I also seem to recall that there are some Ku-band transponders on Rainbow 1. Do either E* or Rainbow/VOOM hold those licenses?

Now that I think about it, shouldn't they also be able to increase the spotbeam capacity at 110 and 119 with that third uplink center?

 

[rocatman]

All the transponders on Rainbow-1 (R-1) are DBS frequency transponders (TPs). DBS frequency is considered part of the Ku band but at a different frequency than the regular Ku band that is used by Dish at 105 and 121 W. So Dish is trying to acquire all the TPs and licenses capabilities of R-1. R-1 has 13 CONUS TPs that the Voom service has been using as well as 130 spotbeam TPs which is a huge number. For example, Echostar-7 (E-7) and E-8 at 119 and 110 W respectively only have 25 spotbeam TPs. One has to assume that if Dish gets R-1, they will use this spotbeam capability, certainly for HD locals. The spotbeam capability of R-1 makes it a steal for Dish at $200 million.

Dish is not limited by uplink centers for spotbeam capacity at 110 or 119 W. The limitations are on the capabilities of spotbeam satellites at those locations, E-7 and E-8 as mentioned previously. Dish plans to launch a new satellite Echostar-10 (E-10) to the 110 W location later this year that has greater spotbeam capability than E-8 currently has at 110 W. There has not been much information available on E-10 but it is known that it will have at least 45 spotbeam TPs. I believe many of the folks on this and the other forum that follow the satellite end of the satellite television business would love to find out the design details of E-10. A trip to the FCC maybe needed although some of this information could be made available during FCC filings leading up to the launch of E-10.

 

[jeslevine]

when they get vooms satellite they will not keep it at 61.5

 

[BFG]

No, I doubt they will move it.

 

[dlsnyder]

Is it even possible to re-configure the spotbeams on Rainbow 1 for use at another DBS orbital slot? I thought they were set up for use only at 61.5 and could not be changed.

 

[JohnL]

when they get vooms satellite they will not keep it at 61.5

I doubt you are right, reasons are below;

1) Rainbow One's spotbeams are fixed and based on its location at 61.5. If Dish moved Rainbow one to 119 or 110 most if not all of Rainbow Ones' spotbeams would be useless.

2) Echostar 3 the only Dish Network satellite at 61.5 has some major problems and is not a very healthy satellite at all, so I doubt very much Rainbow One will move from 61.5. Rainbow One gives Dish options if Echostar 3 fails completely.

3) Lastly, because of Echostar 3's many problems Dish would NOT be able to use the Transponder licenses they get as part of the deal purchasing Rainbow One and Voom's related assets if Rainbow One was moved from 61.5.

Satellite bandwidth is VERY finite and Dish isn't about to NOT use 21 additional transponders at 61.5, and give up the spotbeam capabilites of an in Orbit satellite. What does Dish have to gain by moving Rainbow One from 61.5 let see, 1)they couldn't use it's spotbeams efficiently if AT ALL, Dish is already using EVERY single transponder at Dish's CORE slots, 2) Rainbow One does NOTHING for Dish by moving it except for losing the ability to use 21 more transponders at 61.5, seems like a nobrainer to me the SATELLITE STAYS PUT.

John