Press Release: Echostar Communications Buys Rainbow 1

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Scott Greczkowski said:
No it was posted in our VOOM forum first. :)

my bad, i don't have a membership over there and i guess the time shown is central time by default. congrats to who posted it here on satelliteguys first. i think it was mota from what i can see.
 
More information, particularly in bold (albeit not a whole lot but at least *something*).
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Cablevision to Sell Rainbow Direct Broadcast Satellite and Certain Related Assets to EchoStar for $200 Million

BETHPAGE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2005--Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement for Rainbow DBS Company LLC to sell its direct broadcast satellite and certain other related assets to a subsidiary of EchoStar Communications Corp. (Nasdaq: DISH) for $200 million in cash.

Under the terms of the agreement, EchoStar will acquire the Rainbow 1 satellite, located at the 61.5 degree W.L. orbital position, as well as FCC licenses to construct, launch and operate DBS services over 11 frequency channels at the 61.5 degree W.L. orbital location. In addition, EchoStar will acquire the contents of Rainbow DBS's ground facility in Black Hawk, S.D. and related assets. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.

Cablevision will continue to explore strategic alternatives, including monetization, for its remaining Rainbow DBS related assets, including programming, equipment and spectrum.

VOOM will continue to provide service to its current customers during a transition period.

About Cablevision Systems Corporation

Cablevision Systems Corporation is one of the nation's leading entertainment and telecommunications companies. Its cable television operations serve more than 3 million households in the New York metropolitan area. The company's advanced telecommunications offerings include its iO: Interactive Optimum digital television offering, Optimum Online high-speed Internet service, Optimum Voice digital voice-over-cable service, and its Lightpath integrated business communications services. Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings LLC operates several successful programming businesses, including AMC, IFC, WE and other national and regional networks. Rainbow also is a 50 percent partner in Fox Sports Net. In addition to its telecommunications and programming businesses, Cablevision is the controlling owner of Madison Square Garden and its sports teams, the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty. The company also operates New York's famed Radio City Music Hall, and owns and operates Clearview Cinemas.

This release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including financial community and rating agency perceptions of the company and its business, operations, financial condition and the industry in which it operates and the factors described in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contained therein. The company disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained herein.
 
Its always Mota first. :D That's why he is the SatelliteGuy of the year. :)

What a shock that was coming back from dinner and seeing that.

I got to give it to Dish, when I asked them about VOOM last week at CES they told me flat out they were not interested in VOOM, which appears to be true, they do not want VOOM, they want Rainbow 1.
 
Of course.... They're not stupid....

And yup of course Mota's first. Well let me be the first to welcome Sean back over to the E* group if he wants to when his voom dutys are no longer needed :) / :(
 
Well, my VOOM install was scheduled for next Friday. Guess that won't be happening!

I am still pretty dissapointed with E* but I guess I will give them a couple of months more to see what happens before going back to cable. Bottom line, I want my HDTV and E* just is not delivering. Hopefully with the VOOM bird that will change.
 
11 transponders at 61.5
A satellite that has 13 frequences, 12 of which can switch to spot beam
 
That is total rubbish. Boom, uh, I mean Voom didn't sell only to the east coast. I have a friend in Cupertino, CA that got the install just fine. He loves the service from the west coast. I would be happy to put up a dish looking at 61.5 if it would give me more HD.

I guess Charlie will be offering more programing in Tulugu and Greenlanic now, since there is no compelling HD content with V* in his eyes.
 
I guess its simple...MOST people who have Dish agree with Charlie and didnt think that the HD on VOOM was that compelling...because if they did they would have switched services.

So Charlies has/had no reason to want the content...nobody else did
 
They will probably use the sat to fix their 1 dish solution, but they maybe wanting to put the channels up from the country Latka on Taxi was from. :eek:
 
Let's not forget that the FCC could actually stop this sell. Although, I don't see way, it's not like they are merging or taking over Voom, their just buying a satellite. Now they may say something about the increased spectrum at 61.5. This could lead to a either move the sat or no sell.
 
I wonder if Dish would acquire the rights to launch a satellite to the second orbital location that VoOm was going to use at 72 with that special bigger dish.

Also I bet that there will be a number of VoOm receivers being sold on eBay now for pretty cheap. I sympathize for those that have sunk all that money into those receivers. This is why many probably never got VoOm because they were such a new service that may go dead.

I am wondering if their receivers would be any good for any FTA services out there. We all know that Dish Network wont use the same receivers that Voom was using since they manufacture their own receivers.
 
Scott Greczkowski said:
No it was posted in our VOOM forum first. :)
SCOTT you have a bad link on main page under breaking news you should link to your VOOM forum BUT it is linked to voom.com


trido
 
jsanders said:
I would be happy to put up a dish looking at 61.5 if it would give me more HD.
Me too! At least we, as broadcasters with one CBS and one NBC locallay, are going HD by springs end to give me more HD. Fox is doing that also. That will make all but WB and Pax HD locally and full power.
 
Yea, that was going to be my next question, the additional sat locations, if dish also got those, we could have a d500 for 61.5/72, 1 for 110/119, and 148/157. If this is correct, dish has plenty of locations, plenty of in orbit sats, and more sats on the way to give Rubert a very hard time.
 
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