Press Release: Echostar Communications Buys Rainbow 1

[Stargazer]

All the local channels themselves has to be on the same satellite dish, that does not pertain to the other channels. They could have all the locals on one seperate dish and then all the core channels on another and that would be legal. The reason why they have to have all the locals themselves on the same dish is due to the fact that they put some at one orbital location and some at another requiring two seperate dishes. Those channels that had to have the other dish were what many would call the ''less preferred'' or ''less popular'' channels that most may not watch. They knew that most wouldnt want the other dish or didnt know about it so they got away with that. The FCC decided that it wasn't fair to those ''less preferred'' stations that they should be offered to anyone that could get the most popular locals so the one dish requirement commenced.

 

[BluEBoaR]

So as long as E* provides core programming receivable on just one dish, locals in certain DMAs (along with most international) on a second dish are legal... right? And if that were the case, I guess I'd have to ask if HD is considered core programming right now.

 

[NightRyder]

It's pretty obvious from the speed of closure that this deal was in the works for quite some time. Proves that E* and Charlie can keep their plans secret when they want to. Makes me wonder what other little surprises he has up his sleeve.


NightRyder

 

[dispatcher_21]

I can only hope they move it or have 148 as a mirror because I have no line of sight to 61.5 due to the low horizon. I'm hoping they move locals to Rainbow 1 to keep HD on the primary 110,119, probably not, but hoping. But in the same note, that is why I keep taking a look at cable. I dont have to worry about what channel is on what satellite or how many dishes I have, I know that I will get all the channels off of one cable line, but charter sucks so that is why I'm still here. Also just noted from the dish channel chart people that there are two hi def test channels that just went up on the 148 yesterday.....cool.

 

[Stargazer]

The core programming can be split upon multiple satellite dishes just not the local channels.

 

[hdtvtechno]

the one dish mandate was against the locals only, not the core programming,

 

[mboy]

Keeping the faith that Dish Network is full of good surprises.

You must be new around here!

 

[JohnL]

So now the guessing will start, what will E* do with these frequencies? I know folks will say HD but since the west coast has a hard time seeing 61.5 does E* have enough spare space at 148 to mirror more HD???

Rad,


Yes, Dish has a few unused Frequencies they have licenses for at the 148 slot.

John

 

[Eric_C]

Voom failed because their company was run by retarded monkey's, non-retarded monkeys could have done a better job

Everything was done wrong from the start, from the pricing, to the customer service, to the install quality, the problems, etc...etc....etc....

I had Voom for a time, check out my posts regarding their problems.

I believe there is plenty of room for more HD content and hopefully that is what they will use it for.

 

[NightRyder]

Voom failed because their company was run by retarded monkey's, non-retarded monkeys could have done a better job

It wouldn't have made any difference. There are not enough die hard HDTV enthusiast to support this type of venture. Even if you poured money into the thing in hopes of eventually reaching critical mass, it still woudn't fly. By the time HDTV becomes more than a niche product E*, D* and cable would have all have equaled or passed V*. Given the costs involved and market dynamics, it just wasn't a viable business model.


NightRyder

 

[mathius8]

why voom failed

i think voom failed because the only way you could get locals with them was an off air antenna. now dish has the capacity to offer locals too. i live in the country and we all have satellite, some places arent even wired for cable.
i would have gotten voom from the start but i would not have any local channels. voom is a good idea, it just had limitations in the beginning.

 

[The Big Wood]

Wonder how long E* has been planning this. They announce a rate increase earlier than others and what seems to be earlier than in the past. The rate increase is higher than I ever remember getting hit with from them in the past.

Assumed average increase for each sub = $3 / month
Number of subs per month, rounded for easy math = 10,000,000

$$$ more per month E* gets = $ 30,000,000

This transaction should be paid for within 7-8 months after paying lawyers and such. The rest is probably rate increases from providers past along to us.

If I can get more HD (especially local HD to match D*), I'm OK with the rate increase! I can't get OTA where I live, and Alltel holds a monopoly on the cable and phone service here. I called them a few weeks ago, and the CSR said they "might" offer HD for 2005.

 

[Poke]

Just another link is all!

http://gigaom.com/2004/12/voom_going_to_ec.php

 

[BFG]

They've had it planned for a while. So other than it finally being released, I dunno what all the shock it about...

Oh and BTW D* just announced that they are raising their rates $3 so it will be back in line with E* and I suspect cable increases will be even more than both DBS guys.

 

[Poke]

Yeah they will all be raising their rates so they can all get better equipment to compete with E*! So get ready for cable company's Direct will probally be going up next year or so. But this is nothing new!

 

[Poke]

Just another read.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6851726/

 

[rtt2]

E* has been buying back a billion dollars in stock.

$200million is not much to them

Remember E* is one of the few companies that has free cash flow

 

[DishSatUser]

Guess this helps Charlie back up his statement of being the Sat leader in HD services. After all, he just purchased the leader

 

[BFG]

LOL, I hope that was sarcasm, cause voom was not the HD leader

 

[delanewf]

What 2 hi def test channels are you talking about? and what channels are they on? This is in reference to dispatcher 21's post.#63