New Theory Dish buys VOOM moves Rainbow 1 to 110

[mike123abc]

If Dish buys VOOM I could see them moving Rainbow1 immediately to 110. This satellite has a lot of spot beams on it, and using VOOM's uplink center Dish could suddenly ease the capacity issues on 110 by moving all the 110 LIL to spots.

If Dish is negotiating already for VOOM and they think it is going well the recent move of LIL to 121/105 would be a great strategy. They could have it all mapped out at this time. They would know what LIL they can put on CONUS 110 to move to spot as soon as Rainbow-1 is in position.

 

[James Long]

If Dish buys VOOM I could see them moving Rainbow1 immediately to 110. This satellite has a lot of spot beams on it, and using VOOM's uplink center Dish could suddenly ease the capacity issues on 110 by moving all the 110 LIL to spots.

I wonder where spotbeams designed to project from 61.5º would hit from 110º? Unless they could re-steer the antennas ... $$$

Question: Why would V*'s bird have spotbeams when their offerings are national ... no local feeds?

JL

 

[Stargazer]

If this would even happen it may not happen for a while. Voom will probably give it at least a year to see if they can get sales to pick up. HD still yet not as popular as it is going to be due to not many people having HD in their homes yet.

 

[rtt2]

Look on page 8 on this link for the Rainbow 1 satellite spot beam configuration:
http://www.fcc.gov/transaction/echostar-directv/cablevision_exparte071102.pdf

When this satellite was built it was designed to be future proofed. All the latest technology was designed into this bird. In fact the bus configuration is still not known.
It will be a long time until Chuck Dolan sells this satellite venture. This has been his dream for some time. But at 77 years old time may be on Charlie's side. He may relent but historically has proven to be a stubborn man. If there ever was a sale of VOOM I bet it would be when old Chuck kicks the bucket. His son Jim, just does not have the vision or the enthusiasm to fufill his father's dream of a satellite company.
If Charlie was every to purchase VOOM, he would only want the satellite and the mabe the subscribers. He would never buy the the uplink center because it is based in Cablevision's headquarter's. First it would be impossible to separate from Cablevision and second Cablevision uses it to uplink their national channels like AMC, WE, Fuse, IFC to providersacross the nation.
Voom has already spent over 1+. The rumers have gone much higher like 1.5+ and even as high as 1.7+ billion dollars. Charlie could wait until bankruptcy proceedings and pay pennies on the dollar. As long as Charle will wait the future of VOOM becomes less clear. In bankruptcy Charlie will want the 61.5 slot but Rupert woun't. But the satellite may be another story. It is designed for 18 years. Rupert or Sky Angel or IntelSat or SES Americom may all become bidders. A bidding war may occur, but the proceeds will never amount to the total Rainbow DBS coorperation has invested in the total project.
We all know Rainbow DBS cannot run a full CONUS DBS company from 61.5 forever. It will either be a niche player or another Alphastar. The question really lies with charlie and what he can offer. And if he wants a company using a 2 dish solution.

 

[Guest]

This could be the most efficient sale that Charlie tries to make. It makes more sense then trying to buy Directv, or buy loral satellites. This sat is already in the right orbit at 61.5 . This would be the answer for all the future of hd for DISH. Yes you will need two satellite dishes to receive all the programming but it is no different than it has been. So no big change for existing subs.

But if Charlie pulls his same old tricks in order to get it ,I am sure the FCC and the powers in charge of the bankruptcy will probably give it to some other company. Charlie has not had a good track record with mergers, bankruptcy sales etc.

 

[Stargazer]

Maybe Charlie already thinks he has a good chance at getting that slot or could come up with a similar satellite like they have made to accomplish the same thing at 61.5.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

We should know Charlies intentions better when the 61.5 transponder auction happenes.

Of course Charlie could want VOOM to get the transponders and then buy VOOM after they win.. so who knows.

 

[dlsnyder]

What would happen to the VOOM subs? Are those Motorola IRDs capable of switching over to the encryption that E* uses or would Charlie just give everyone a new 811?

 

[Stargazer]

He would probably give them a new HD receiver.

 

[GregN]

Voom is filing for gobs of KA licenses from the FCC so it looks like they are in it for the long haul.

"Rainbow DBS is presently in the hunt for more capacity. In addition to its STA authority to operate on the unassigned channels at the 61.5° orbital location, the company also recently filed applications to launch and build up to five new satellites that will operate over Ka-band frequencies. Rainbow DBS apparently intends to utilize the spectrum to enhance and expand its service offerings to include interactive data and video applications, streaming video and other broadband data applications."

http://www.telecomweb.com/satellite/viasatellite/current/exclusive24.htm


E* D* V* knows that KA will be the future to take on cable Co fat pipes to the home.

 

[Stargazer]

Sounds good, seems like they will start doing some other things to start competing against Dish and DirecTv in the future and will try to do what it takes to do so.

 

[bytre]

Dish and cablevision (Voom owner) aren't exactly buddies. A sellout would make no sense.