All American Direct, aka Sobongo, is calling all their distant network subscribers to tell them that their HD contract with the broadcasters ends on January 12th and that subscribers will no longer be able to get distant networks in anything other than (low-def) SD. Dish Network disclaims any knowledge of what's going on when you call their 800 number, and Sobongo people have no idea of what happened with the contract. It would be nice to know if this is prelude to Dish Network once again offering distant networks directly, if another independent is ready to step in, or if it is time for all of Dish's distant network subscribers to consider the big move to DirecTV.
No more HD Distant Networks?
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Sobongo and DISH are separate corporations, so all DISH CSR will know is what Sobongo releases for information. Don't try to read anymore into the facts other than their contract is ending. Maybe they are playing hardball like DISH does?
i hope not i enjoy distant networks in hd.just called sobomgo and talk to a manager an he said the hd versions do end on january 12th
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Mine are gone already here in PR.....and on the phone they said I will not get them back from them. Standard def only
i still have my hd distant networks here and they told me on the 12th they will be turned offthat sucks please get the distant hd networks back
that sucks please get the distant hd networks back
I just re -upped with Sobongo for one hd network for NBC. I guess I will have to cancel again. So DISH will be selling HD distants possbily?
I am in NJ and was shut off on Jan. 1st., Lucky I was billed month to month and they did not bill me for January. Sabango told me they only offer SD San Fran and NYC networks and you need 119 as all the HD was on 110. He also said they have no information on why it was taken off but they are working quickly to try to get those channels back up. I was never called or notified that I was losing the channels and he said it came suddenly and they trying to notify all the subscribers.
I then called DISH and the representive said "what is a Sabago?..is that a shopping channel". He was clueless about distant networks but after talking to someone he said they have no information and to deal with Sabango directly.
I then called DISH and the representive said "what is a Sabago?..is that a shopping channel". He was clueless about distant networks but after talking to someone he said they have no information and to deal with Sabango directly.
Got my email to day that said YES it is true , no more hd distants come January 12th. So I guess DISH is reclaiming the transponder for other uses.
After calling Sobango, they said it is a retransmission dispute.
For those that paid for a year or have paid past the 12th, they are going to either offer a credit or make a refund, BUT -------they said it is entirely possible an agreement could be reached, if not by the 12th, at sometime. It is their intention to continue all of the distant services they have been providing. The SD channels are not in any danger of being terminated, again according to them.
This was the discussion as of 15:30 today.
For those that paid for a year or have paid past the 12th, they are going to either offer a credit or make a refund, BUT -------they said it is entirely possible an agreement could be reached, if not by the 12th, at sometime. It is their intention to continue all of the distant services they have been providing. The SD channels are not in any danger of being terminated, again according to them.
This was the discussion as of 15:30 today.
Anyone have any tidbits of info regarding AADs dropping the HD feeds. I haven't detected much about DISHs plan to get back into distants considering the events of the last several years.
I wouldn't think it was AADs lack of securing contracts with Chicago & LA. It seems like all of a sudden DISH wanted their transponder space back on the 110. Wonder if AAD could, could, offer NY & SF in mpeg4 hd and center cut the same feeds and offer them to the left over SD subs thus saving tp space. One of Charlie's goals is to get subs to "upgrade" to mpeg4 equipment...this would help a little in that effort (although the EA subs are there already...they've been short-sheeted access to AAD).
HELP ME WITH THIS -- Who are the numb-nuts that had it written into "law" (?) that an HD feed of a prime-time network (big4) program airing 8-11PMET cannot be aired / offered to a sub earlier than normally offered by the network affiliate in the subs time zone. Yet it doesn't apply to SD feeds? Who makes this stuff up? Is it the big4 protecting the exclusivity of the "local" affiliate? Is any part of this regulated by the FCC?
And, I believe it use to be, in the analog era, that if a viewer couldn't receive a signal with an over-the-air antenna he was considered "unserved". Since a digital signal doesn't reach as far I would think that the number of "unserved' households would have almost doubled. Now, is it true, that an unserved household must sub to the nearest DMA market if offered by DISH, or, if he subs to the nearest DMA, could he also sub to a "distant" if offered?
Thanks everyone.
I wouldn't think it was AADs lack of securing contracts with Chicago & LA. It seems like all of a sudden DISH wanted their transponder space back on the 110. Wonder if AAD could, could, offer NY & SF in mpeg4 hd and center cut the same feeds and offer them to the left over SD subs thus saving tp space. One of Charlie's goals is to get subs to "upgrade" to mpeg4 equipment...this would help a little in that effort (although the EA subs are there already...they've been short-sheeted access to AAD).
HELP ME WITH THIS -- Who are the numb-nuts that had it written into "law" (?) that an HD feed of a prime-time network (big4) program airing 8-11PMET cannot be aired / offered to a sub earlier than normally offered by the network affiliate in the subs time zone. Yet it doesn't apply to SD feeds? Who makes this stuff up? Is it the big4 protecting the exclusivity of the "local" affiliate? Is any part of this regulated by the FCC?
And, I believe it use to be, in the analog era, that if a viewer couldn't receive a signal with an over-the-air antenna he was considered "unserved". Since a digital signal doesn't reach as far I would think that the number of "unserved' households would have almost doubled. Now, is it true, that an unserved household must sub to the nearest DMA market if offered by DISH, or, if he subs to the nearest DMA, could he also sub to a "distant" if offered?
Thanks everyone.
The NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) has the pull in DC and almost gets what they want (if they really got what they wanted there would be no distants at all). They want it to be available to as few people as possible.
The way the law is written if Dish were to go back into the distants market, they could not offer you any distant that had a local affliate in your area. They could only give you a distant if there was no local in your area of that network. Since Dish is in all DMAs now, very few would qualify for a distant, only the smallest DMAs missing a big 4 network.
I got the call as well. Dish wants the transponder space, probably for more shopping channels...
and in almost all cases they import a neighboring local that is missing. I think the only folks who dont have all 4 are ones that their market has a retrans issue (like Salisbury, MD)
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