Nimiq 5 Launch Scheduled for September 18

[whatchel1]

Testing too long

Dish applying for and receiving approval from the FCC to use all 32 TPs is only as good as they have a lease agreement with Bell TV/Telesat. This does not prevent DirecTV from utilizing the TPs for which they have a lease agreement with Bell TV/Telesat. The Dish application only requests FCC approval for when their lease agreement with Bell TV/Telesat allows them to use all 32 TPs which I believe is related to when DirecTV gives up there lease. I am speculating that DirecTV will probable not due this all at once but will phase in.

In regards to the DirecTV-12 launch, even if it goes in December of 2009, it will be a few months before it is operational based on the time it took to test DirecTV-11. DirecTV-12 also has a "reverse DBS" capability which I am sure will be tested as well which may increase this testing time. In addition, for the customers in the markets at 72.5 W that will be moved to DirecTV-12, they need to have their equipment, both dishes and receivers upgraded which also adds to the time.

The Nimiq 5 we are talking about here just went up 9-18 and is already in place and taking over. So the reasoning for delay of 12 to me is weak. Upgrading equipment isn't a reason to delay just an excuse. So I don't really see much of a reason to delay the switch past the 1st of the year.

 

[rocatman]

The Nimiq 5 we are talking about here just went up 9-18 and is already in place and taking over. So the reasoning for delay of 12 to me is weak. Upgrading equipment isn't a reason to delay just an excuse. So I don't really see much of a reason to delay the switch past the 1st of the year.

You don't appear to understand the contractual lease arrangement made by Bell TV/Telesat (Canadian companies) and Dish and DirecTV. Dish submitted an application to the FCC to allow them to use as many as 32 TPs at 72.7 W in essence when their contractual lease agreement with Bell TV/Telesat allows them. DirecTV has a contractual lease agreement with Bell TV/Telesat for use of as many as 16 TPs at 72.5 (.7) W until sometime in 2011. The FCC previously approved DirecTV's use of the 16 TPs at 72.5 W as well as previously approving Dish's use of 16 TPs at 72.5 W. Both of these are for allowing to downlink DBS signals to customers in the U.S. When the DirecTV lease agreement expires then Dish should have approval to use all 32 TPs from 72.7 W but this FCC approval does not override the contractual lease agreements.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Do you have a copy of the DirecTV lease?

I am sure there is a clause in there to evict DirecTV whenever they see fit or posibly when they move to a new satellite. We don't know this.

We do know that DirecTV is moving quickly to move the locals from that satellite to another satellite which seems to show that January 1st they will be off the satellite.

 

[rocatman]

Do you have a copy of the DirecTV lease?

I am sure there is a clause in there to evict DirecTV whenever they see fit or posibly when they move to a new satellite. We don't know this.

We do know that DirecTV is moving quickly to move the locals from that satellite to another satellite which seems to show that January 1st they will be off the satellite.

I believe the upcoming moves by DirecTV off of the 72.5 W slot are for 9 markets. I believe that are quite a few more than these 9 at 72.5 W. Other DirecTV statements have mentioned markets being moved in 2010 as well as some being moved in 2011. Check out the question about whether all customers have to exchange equipmented from this DirecTV website:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/customer/faqPage.jsp?assetId=P5370034

 

[mike123abc]

Do you have a copy of the DirecTV lease?

I am sure there is a clause in there to evict DirecTV whenever they see fit or posibly when they move to a new satellite. We don't know this.

We do know that DirecTV is moving quickly to move the locals from that satellite to another satellite which seems to show that January 1st they will be off the satellite.

I doubt that DIRECT is going to turn off markets to vacate the satellite right away. I suspect they made an arrangement to get out of their lease early without penalties by allowing Dish to start using TPs as soon as they are no longer needed by DIRECTV. Dish just got the blanket authority to start using the TPs as soon as they get them without sending in an application as each TP clears up. I am sure DIRECTV would pay what it takes to keep the TPs it needs during the transition.

I have of course not read the contract, but who would make a deal involving who knows how many customers and millions in direct costs without a pretty iron clad guaranty of service terms.

I seriously doubt that DIRECTV would agree to a lease that would allow TELSAT to boot them at any time without notice or proper cause. What would be the point? DIRECTV has invested millions in this venture, with both a satellite and all the ground installations. DIRECTV probably had the option to continue their lease quite a bit longer. They probably view this as a win/win where they get to transition out of the lease, probably paying a pro rated amount based on the number of TPs they give to Dish. Dish probably agreed to buy them out of the remaining term of the contract. DIRECTV probably saves more money the faster they give up the TPs.

 

[whatchel1]

Why would D* continue to pay out a lease to someone when they are going to have a new bird working very soon? I just can't be that expensive to move the few markets it has to the new sat.

 

[SpaethCo]

Why would D* continue to pay out a lease to someone when they are going to have a new bird working very soon? I just can't be that expensive to move the few markets it has to the new sat.

I suspect it's a matter of satellite lease dollars being in the budget, and field service tech dollars to do dish/equipment swaps or repoints is not.

 

[BearcatScott]

I am getting a range of 53-62 on all transponders on the 72.7 sat here in southern Ohio. I don't remember what I was getting before but the new numbers seem to be low compared with others reporting in this thread. Do my signal strength numbers seem reasonable for my part of the country?

 

[BearcatScott]

bump

 

[Dah-Henny]

Do my signal strength numbers seem reasonable for my part of the country?

I believe your numbers are acceptable, but do seem a little low for the new bird. If you have access to your reflector, put a little pressure on it left and right, up and down...if your signal tone rises any, you could increase your SS with a re-peak.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I tried to get the best signal I could on my 1000.4 eastern arc dish Saturday and Sunday and peaked it for what I think is the best signals I could get on all 3 sats: 77/72.7/61.5. It wasn't very easy to get good strengths on the 77 sat but I did get it. Here they are:

72.7 sat
----------
01) 73
03) 75
05) 70
07) 73
09) 72
11) 70
13) 72
15) 75
17) 73
19) 74
21) 75
23) 77
25) 75
27) 76
29) 75
31) 78
Low of 70
High of 78

77 sat
----------
01) 50
04) 50
05) 50
08) 50
09) 50
12) 51
13) 44
16) 52
17) 52
20) 53
21) 54
24) 55
28) 55
29) 56
32) 53

Low of 44
High of 56

61.5 sat
--------------
01) 0
02) 59
03) 57
04) 0
05) 62 spot beam
06) 0
07) 0
08) 56
09) 53 spot beam
10) 59
11) 53 spot beam
12) 0
13) 43 spot beam
14) 70
15) 0
16) 41
17) 35
18) 59
19) 38
20) 46
21) 49
22) 50
23) 0
24) 53
25) 53
26) 0
27) 50
28) 48
29) 60
30) 50
31) 50
32) 45

Low of 35
High of 70

 

[digiblur]

The 8PSK transition is underway on Nimiq5.... 25% gain of bandwidth switching over to 8PSK.

Uplink Comparison Range: 10/20/2009 01:55A - 10/20/2009 02:11A

Transponder Changes:
Nimiq5 72.7W TP 01 ConUS beam changed from 20000 QPSK 5/6 to 21500 8PSK 2/3
Nimiq5 72.7W TP 07 ConUS beam changed from 20000 QPSK 5/6 to 21500 8PSK 2/3
Nimiq5 72.7W TP 09 ConUS beam changed from 20000 QPSK 5/6 to 21500 8PSK 2/3
Nimiq5 72.7W TP 21 ConUS beam changed from 20000 QPSK 5/6 to 21500 8PSK 2/3

 

[r424chevy48II]

The 8PSK transition is underway on Nimiq5.... 25% gain of bandwidth switching over to 8PSK.

Uplink Comparison Range: 10/20/2009 01:55A - 10/20/2009 02:11A

Transponder Changes:
Nimiq5 72.7W TP 01 ConUS beam changed from 20000 QPSK 5/6 to 21500 8PSK 2/3
Nimiq5 72.7W TP 07 ConUS beam changed from 20000 QPSK 5/6 to 21500 8PSK 2/3
Nimiq5 72.7W TP 09 ConUS beam changed from 20000 QPSK 5/6 to 21500 8PSK 2/3
Nimiq5 72.7W TP 21 ConUS beam changed from 20000 QPSK 5/6 to 21500 8PSK 2/3

Are they gonna switch to 8psk on western arc also, since we dont have any room left???

 

[digiblur]

There is room left on WA. Not sure where you got that tid bit of info.

And yes, they will change to 8PSK as soon as all the non-8PSK receivers are gone.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

And yes, they will change to 8PSK as soon as all the non-8PSK receivers are gone.

It will be sooner then that.

 

[digiblur]

It will be sooner then that.

Not sure what you mean by this... they can't leave their customers high and dry one day just by switching everything to 8PSK.

 

[drdroo]

Not sure what you mean by this... they can't leave their customers high and dry one day just by switching everything to 8PSK.

Is there really that many non-8PSK receivers? I was under the impression that Dish added 8PSK support really early on in the cycle. If that's the case, they could offer an upgrade deal to the remaining few.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

They are going to do it just like the smart card swap,gradual, with only certain channels going 8PSK and rolling out over time, this way customers can get new MPEG4 equipment installed in their homes.

No they wont be switching everything to MPEG4 though at the time, only 8PSK as there are a bunch of 8PSK non MPEG4 receivers out in the field, those will be switched out later on a year or two after the 8psk switchover.

 

[sundude90]

Any idea when this full 8PSK Switchover is going to take place.

What satellites are not using this technology right now?

Josh

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If I had to guess I would say the 8PSK conversion on the Western Arc would be done by this time next year.

That would open up a lot of space for a lot more national HD channels.