More on Sky Angel's new operation center in Cleveland TN

[MLBurks]

Being a supporter of Sky Angel, I love to hear reports and read news on what Sky Angel is doing and how they are moving forward with the company. Here is more that I found today on movement of their operations center to Cleveland TN:

Dominion Video Satellite Inc., operator of the Sky Angel Christian-family satellite TV service, announces development of its new network operations center now under way
Dominion contracts with General Dynamics C4 Systems to provide transmitting and receiving antennas

10/10/2006

CLEVELAND, Tenn. & NAPLES, Fla.--October 10, 2006--Dominion Video Satellite Inc., owner-operator of the Sky Angel(tm) Christian-family-oriented direct broadcast satellite (DBS) television service, has started development of its new network operations center in southeastern Tennessee and has contracted with General Dynamics C4 Systems to provide transmitting and receiving antennas for the facility.

Dominion's network operations center is being developed on 20 acres in Cleveland, Tenn. and will serve as the technical headquarters for Dominion's nationwide, multi-channel, direct-to-home satellite television service specializing in Christian and family TV and radio programming and operating under the brand name Sky Angel. The facility will be developed in five phases, with the first phase scheduled for completion later this fall.

Under terms of the General Dynamics agreement, General Dynamics C4 Systems will supply up to 30 6.3-meter receiving antennas and two 11-meter transmitting antennas as well as support equipment and installation services over the next four years. The contract is valued at as much as $6 million.

"The new facility in Cleveland, Tenn. is being designed and installed with the latest state-of-the-art digital equipment," said Ray LaRue, vice president of engineering and network operations for Dominion Sky Angel. "Virtually all systems have redundant counterparts which will help to ensure that Sky Angel programs will be reliably delivered to our subscribers."

Added LaRue, "The many systems will be computer automated and monitored, and they will be operated by professional personnel committed to the Sky Angel mission of providing family-friendly and Christian program alternatives."

 

[TNGTony]

Thanks for posting the info!

Tony

 

[drfreeman]

does this mean we can get more channels??
will we even notice any difference??

 

[MLBurks]

does this mean we can get more channels??
will we even notice any difference??

The transition should be seamless so you won't notice anything different. I don't know if this will give Sky Angel the capability to have more channels yet. Though I do know that they want to have the capability to have more channels. They probably will have to have their own bird in the air instead of using the one from DISH that is in fact dieing a slow and miserable death.

 

[andrews777]

Are they going to be able to support their own satellite with their current business model?

Brad

 

[MLBurks]

Are they going to be able to support their own satellite with their current business model?

From what I understand (and I could be wrong or completely outdated) Sky Angel is having their own satellite built. When it will be ready, I don't know. What I do know is that Sky Angel's goal is to sever ties with Dish Network (that relationship is a strange and stressed one to say the least) and up-link their own material to their own satellite(s). If and when this will happen depends on a lot of things and I don't know when that will be. Sky Angel is in the habit of not sharing much information from the "inside" with the public (they won't even share the number of subscribers they have). So when they do share some information about what is going on with them, that is why I like to post it here so we the subscribers or those interested will know about it. Because I believe that if I support a company and/or ministry, I would like to know what is going on with them and what they are doing.

 

[andrews777]

Thanks for the followup.

I think they face major challenges, even if they can get their own satellite up. I am not sure how they will fund their own satellite, including its eventual replacement. In addition, what hardware will they use if they split from Dish?

A factor making it tougher is the number of "lifetime" subscribers. While the initial cash was helpful, I would venture most are like myself and do not pay anything more. I don't know if I would be paying the monthly cost if I didn't have a lifetime sub either.

I hope they have thought through the business model as well.

I still think they would be better off cutting a deal with Dish to provide many "Christian channels" for Dish, and focus on other things, though then they might have an even harder time accomplishing their worldwide goal since they wouldn't have any satellites or receivers of their own.

Brad

 

[ShaneLinder]

I am a bit more optomistic about the future of Sky Angel. If they get their own bird, they can carry a lot more channels and are likely to have 10 - 20 commercial channels that would allow a lot of subscibers to have Sky Angel service only. I thought the religious channels paid for the space to broadcast via Sky Angel. If that is the case, the more channels they can add, the more funding they would get from those channels.

 

[andrews777]

I believe the religious channels are broadcast free, as long as they host commercials for SkyAngel. I remember hearing SkyAngel saying they were free in the past.

Brad

 

[JohnH]

They give air time to the channels in exchange for promoting Sky Angel.

The Uplink center was supposed to be under construction in Florida.

The satellite has been under contract for several years.

All of the above have been stated at various times by Sky Angel.

I pay the monthly fee for 8 years now.

 

[JeffH]

What is the latest information on the new operations center in Cleveland, TN? The last I read anything about it was back in October.

Jeff

 

[jegrant]

Checking SA*'s website shows that AllWorship.com's Contemporary Worship (CW) stream will be added to channel 9764 in February. Presumably this means KTLW (Living Way Radio), the current occupant of that channel, will be leaving SA*, as they are no longer listed.

While it is perhaps not the format I would have chosen, I am glad to see a different format that adds diversity to the lineup. It is better than yet another Christian AC or Conservative Talk station.

 

[MLBurks]

I liked KTLW. I'd hate to see it go. I don't know anything about this AllWorship channel. Is this going to be a contemporary version of Sacred Favorites radio (which I also like)?

 

[Stargazer]

Perhaps SkyAngel will become something similar to what Dish Network used to be - have a decent small package for a low price without all the B.S. fees. I think we could use a third competetor in the scene. I wonder what hardware they plan on using when their new satellite is launched or if they plan on using Dish Network's hardware. If Dish Network is going to MPEG-4 then maybe they could continue to use MPEG-2 and buy up a lot of those receivers that will get junked/swapped out by Dish Network for their service. I am also curious if they plan on offering IPTV service in the future, DVR service and HD service.

 

[andrews777]

I am also curious if they plan on offering IPTV service in the future, DVR service and HD service.

Being on Dish allows them to support DVRs. I have been using my two 522s exclusively on SkyAngel for about a year since I downgraded to save money. (I am a lifetime sub.) I am annoyed that I have to pay Dish almost $20 per month (DVR fees and 2nd receiver fee), but I can't do much about that.

Brad

 

[Stargazer]

I know that you can use a DVR right now on Sky Angel but if they go on a new system will they have a new DVR then? I guess we will just have to wait and see. Perhaps someone can get some inside information from Sky Angel in regards to this. One can always use the standalone PVR/DVR if they do not offer their own.