Nimiq 5 Service

[nelson61]

A question for the Bell/SC subscribers.

Background Info:

Industry Canada has licensed Nimiq 5 similarly to Ciel 2, restricting leasing over 50 percent of capacity for foreign use until launch in late summer or fall (available for lease after that date if no Canadian customers).
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf08725.html

Echostar has leased 50 percent of the capacity with an option for up to all the capacity.
http://licensing.fcc.gov/ibfsweb/ib.page.FetchAttachment?attachment_key=-161955

Will Bell be using part of Nimiq 5 at 72.5W? Or, are they waiting for the newer 17GHz satellites that will compliment the existing satellite slots used for Canadian service?

 

[rocatman]

I am not a Bell/SC subscriber but I thought at least Bell was going to at least 8PSK for their HD if not MPEG-4 so they may not need the use of the 72.7 W slot for awhile if ever. I think Bell cut a deal with Dish for use of the 72.7 W slot especially with Nimiq 5 where Dish will give them a deal on the MPEG-4 receivers so Bell can upgrade their customers. This saves them money because otherwise they would need to upgrade their customers with a D1000 type dish to get 72.7, 82 and 91 W slots. Obviously this greatly benefits Dish as well. Dish can probably put all their Eastern Arc national programming at the 72.7 W slot with 32 TPs using MPEG-4. They can then use 61.5 W and 77 W for spotbeams and then most customers would only need a D500 sized dish to get either 61.5 and 72.7 W or 72.7 W and 77 W. Dish also may provide Bell with space on one of their 17 GHz satellites that they have license for perhaps at 75 or 79 W.