IMPORTANT: 148 Satellite Programming Loss

[Scott Greczkowski]

Just got this in.

Effective Friday, July 31, 2009, DISH Network regrets that customers will be losing their local programming and some public interest programming due to the decommission of a satellite.

The cities affected are Rapid City, SD, Casper, WY and Billings, MT and the Public Interests channels affected are Classic Arts Showcase, Pentagon Channel, Health & Human Services (HHS) and PAEC

The Rapid City and Casper DMA’s have been removed from the 148 satellite location.

If a customer calls in with signal loss on their locals from the 148 location in one of these DMAs, please confirm they have signal on 119, transponder 10.

 

[digiblur]

This is due to the recent filing to say goodbye to Echostar 5 on Aug 3rd. They thought they had another year but found out they didn't recently.

These markets are also on spotbeams, I don't seem them staying on 119 for long once they get the last few customers upgraded. Casper might hang around the longest since most customers should have at least 110/119.

Billings - 110 Spotbeam
Rapid City - 110 Spotbeam
Casper - 129 Spotbeam

 

[gadgtfreek]

Ouch, sorry guys,

 

[JEFFinINDY]

Wow, they really got Ciel-2 up and running in the nick of time...

 

[mdonnelly]

Wow, they really got Ciel-2 up and running in the nick of time...

They might have squeezed a little more time out of it if they hadn't moved it to 147. But you're right, they got everything they could out of E5.

 

[photoman76]

Here is the filing:
http://licensing.fcc.gov/ibfsweb/ib.page.FetchAttachment?attachment_key=-171482

I guess that explains why they have been turning off transponders and clearing channels off Echostar 5. I wonder if that means they have to turn Echostar 1 around and move it back to keep a satellite at 148 or if the FCC will allow them to promise to put a new satellite there sometime in the future to keep the slot?

 

[Tyralak]

I was wondering that myself. Do they plan to give that slot up?

 

[DishSubLA]

I was wondering that myself. Do they plan to give that slot up?

Great question. Remember a few years ago they bid for and got 157. It seemed to make perfect sense then. I do think they have since let 157 go away, meaning they did not make efforts to meet FCC requirements to keep the slot (I do hope I remember that accurately).

IMHO, it seems that Dish has not planned things in a way to include 148 in it long-term plans for quite some time. Technology changes in ways none of us on this board necessarily could predict until pretty close to implementation. IMHO, it looks like the real long-distance planning is 110, 119, a tweener, and the eventual bye bye of 61.5, but that is way down the line. Yes, count on technology, before the end of the lives of all the leased slots, for EVERYTHING to be at 110, 119, a tweener or two, or who knows what else. There certainly won't be simulcasts of both the SD and HD channels, and Dish is already beginning an STB swap-out (soon to allow all SD at 8PSK) and more STB swap-outs beyond that for all channels at MPEG4 for even more efficiency. These slots make for the greatest efficiency. But some of us may be dead by the end of the the next decade.

 

[Laddyboy]

Great question. Remember a few years ago they bid for and got 157. It seemed to make perfect sense then. I do think they have since let 157 go away, meaning they did not make efforts to meet FCC requirements to keep the slot (I do hope I remember that accurately).

IMHO, it seems that Dish has not planned things in a way to include 148 in it long-term plans for quite some time. Technology changes in ways none of us on this board necessarily could predict until pretty close to implementation. IMHO, it looks like the real long-distance planning is 110, 119, a tweener, and the eventual bye bye of 61.5, but that is way down the line. Yes, count on technology, before the end of the lives of all the leased slots, for EVERYTHING to be at 110, 119, a tweener or two, or who knows what else. There certainly won't be simulcasts of both the SD and HD channels, and Dish is already beginning an STB swap-out (soon to allow all SD at 8PSK) and more STB swap-outs beyond that for all channels at MPEG4 for even more efficiency. These slots make for the greatest efficiency. But some of us may be dead by the end of the the next decade.

I seem to recall an E* FCC filing for a satellite to be built and launched for the 148 slot.

 

[digiblur]

In previous filings there were comments about a 148 satellite geared towards AK and HI, but with the coverage from E11, E10, and Ciel-2 for those two states I don't see them needing it. Combine that with the excellent coverage also coming from E14(119, not launched yet) and there will be plenty of bandwidth over those two states.

 

[nelson61]

I remember the mention of a new 148W satellite. But, if they need to preserve Western capacity, it would seem more logical to take part of the new 138W satellite that Ciel is flogging (risk sharing and better coverage).

 

[M Sparks]

I hope they move Classic Arts Showcase over to another bird. It's one of the few PI channels I ever watched...I had a wing pointed at 148 just for fun, but I had to move it when 129 came online.

The NAU channel used to show it overnight, then switched to just showing a useless slideshow. I have a friend that works over there...he says DISH forced them to drop the Classic Arts feed because the PI rules state that all programming must originate from the channel's master control (or something like that.). That's probably to prevent them from throwing up a shopping channel overnight, but this is why we have PI channels that just loop a five minute video most of the day, or show nothing but a logo.

Someone in congress needs to revisit the PI rules.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The 129 slot is not a Dish licensed slot, which means it does not qualify to have to carry PI programming under the current rules.

I would say that the 5 PI channels will not be moving over from 148.

 

[Awohar]

I would think they would try to keep something going over at 148 even if its just an aging bird. If the slot is given back and then sold, another competitor can enter the market and DISH doesn't need that.

 

[RedSavina]

The 129 slot is not a Dish licensed slot, which means it does not qualify to have to carry PI programming under the current rules.

I would say that the 5 PI channels will not be moving over from 148.

Interesting info - disappointing, though. I happen to like the Pentagon Channel and have missed it since I no longer have my 61.5 wing up. I was kinda hoping it would show up on 129 eventually. Oh well, disappointments and dish seem to go hand-in-hand of late.

 

[Joe Capitano]

I hope they move Classic Arts Showcase over to another bird. It's one of the few PI channels I ever watched...

There is hope. From the CAS website...

Dish Network has NOT cancelled Classic Arts Showcase. ... Dish cannot tell us when service will be restored to the affected areas, but they do assure us that are working to make sure that CAS is returned to those customers.

Translation (we hope): "Give 'em a few days. We'll be back."

I agree, it's one of the better channels out there.

 

[Tyralak]

This is funny, because about a month ago I went to a service call to install a 148 specifically for the Pentagon channel. I feel bad for those folks.

 

[Mr Tony]

Hopefully they move Pentagon & CAS to 129 for the folks who dont have access to 61.5
both are GREAT channels

 

[simonhwsn]

I wonder if that means they have to turn Echostar 1 around and move it back to keep a satellite at 148

If so, that would be bad news for Dish Mexico, that bird was going to be used as complement to Echo 4 wich although it still works has many problems. Then we'll have to wait until Quetzsat 1 is launched

 

[Fitzie]

Thanks photoman76 for the link. As I read the filing, Dish plans to retain the 148 slot, but apparently does not intend to re-occupy the space until after their next two satellites are put up. More detail to the FCC is to follow. Dish seemed shocked at the failure to calculate the amount of remaining fuel correctly, as shown by the fact Dish states they are now in the process of recalculating the fuel levels of their other sats.

Regards,
Fitzie