Q1 2006 The DIRECTV Earnings Conference Call 5/4/06 at 2pm ET

Status
Please reply by conversation.
"...And after the launch of our two remaining HD satellites next year, we expect to have the most comprehensive and compelling offering of HD programming for nearly every home in America."

This should be interesting to see how this plays out.
 
landlocked said:
Profits up, eh?

Does this mean we can start getting our HD package for free?


I would be happy with a paid REAL HD instead of this crappy HD-LITE and VHS quality SD.
 
Proc said:
"...And after the launch of our two remaining HD satellites next year, we expect to have the most comprehensive and compelling offering of HD programming for nearly every home in America."

This should be interesting to see how this plays out.

They better pick up their pace, they are loosing ground to E*, in the HD battle. With all of the new TV sets being sold, people are going to subscribe to the company that offers the most HD programing.
 
I heard the conference and their favorite phrase was "quality customer". Too bad there was not a single reference about their declining PQ.
 
My Summary of the Conference

1- Do not expect HD National channels until first quarter of 2007 at least.

2- DirecTv took a hit in higher cost on retention. DirecTv said that the reason was because of the buggy new MPG-2 DVR. They ended up with a turn over of 10% return per month on the DVR.

3- Churn Rate is higher this quarter.

4- DirecTv took a another hit in lower subscribership in this quarter even though Cable Operators have reported higher subscribership.

4- The 20 Million susbcribership goal may be a a dream at this point. DirecTv is shifting their focus in preserving "Quality" subs. "Qualit Subs" are defined as high end customers with HD and DVR.

5- MPG-4 HD DVR maybe out by summer. They recognized the delay of the DVR.

6- Network DVR maybe in the future as technology changes but not the focus at this point.

7- DirecTv think that after 1st Quarter of 2007, they will be the leaders in HD capacity and no one will be able to match their capacity.
 
Sean Mota said:
2- DirecTv took a hit in higher cost on retention. DirecTv said that the reason was because of the buggy new MPG-4 DVR. They ended up with a turn over of 10% return per month on the DVR.

Don't you mean the MPEG-2 DVR???
 
I wish as much as the next HD customer that they would increase picture quality on the HD channels. I also wish they would increase picture quality on the SD channels. They can make them good to a point where the Sci-Fi can be watchable even after watching HD channels all day, but as it is now it is almost to the point where I can't stand watching some channels in SD at all. Believe it or not the best SD channel I watch is Fox Sports Cincinnati.
 
The R15 is not MPEG4. I'm actually shocked that nobody called them out during the call on this, given that they just re-upped with Tivo and are strategically going to their own brand.

It's either growing pains or a bad sign for everyone - time will tell...
 
Sean Mota said:
1- Do not expect HD National channels until first quarter of 2007 at least.

7- DirecTv think that after 1st Quarter of 2007, they will be the leaders in HD capacity and no one will be able to match their capacity.

In the mean time they are going to fall behind, in the HD race, as new HD customers will looking at where they can find the most HD programing and select E* or D*. I just don't understand their logic about adding new HD programing. Why they wouldn't add 1 National HD channel that reach 100% of the HD customers. Instead they use up 4 channels to add locals to a market to reach a small percentage of their customers, whom many could care less about getting the HD locals, because they already receive them OTA.
 
lou_do said:
In the mean time they are going to fall behind, in the HD race, as new HD customers will looking at where they can find the most HD programing and select E* or D*. I just don't understand their logic about adding new HD programing. Why they wouldn't add 1 National HD channel that reach 100% of the HD customers. Instead they use up 4 channels to add locals to a market to reach a small percentage of their customers, whom many could care less about getting the HD locals, because they already receive them OTA.

I'm sure that they'd love to be able to add more national HD channels but they just don't have the bandwidth to do it at this time. SW1/2 are only spotbeams and while the rumor was that they could configure them in a way to have a psuedo CONUS beam it didn't work out from what a couple others have posted. So it's either add HD-LIL or nothing until D10/D11 go up.
 
The 72.5 bird does not seam to be carring much of any info. Why not retask this bird to HD?

I would like to get HD locals, but being in DMA 102 it will be late next year before we get them. Maybe I am lucky, but I do not see a dif between my OTA HD and the HD on D*. But then again I have found myself watching less and less D* HD programing, I hate that discovery does not broadcast in HD the shows they have on SD discovery. If they are recording, say American Chopper, in HD and SD why not put the HD show on when the new SD version comes on?
 
VIPERS-PIT said:
The 72.5 bird does not seam to be carring much of any info. Why not retask this bird to HD?
My guess would be that D* doesn't have permission. When they filed to use this slot, which is a Canadien slot, they specified it was for LIL. They are also limited to no more than 1,000,000 earth stations. So if they used it for HD and their HD subs grew past 1,000,000, they would be in violation of their license.
 
Sean Mota said:
2- DirecTv took a hit in higher cost on retention. DirecTv said that the reason was because of the buggy new MPG-2 DVR. They ended up with a turn over of 10% return per month on the DVR.

5- MPG-4 HD DVR maybe out by summer. They recognized the delay of the DVR.

6- Network DVR maybe in the future as technology changes but not the focus at this point.
#2 - That's too funny. So they realize they put out a POS. Have they learned anything?:confused:

#5 - Will it be a rushed POS also?

#6 - :(
 
Sean Mota said:
1- Do not expect HD National channels until first quarter of 2007 at least.


7- DirecTv think that after 1st Quarter of 2007, they will be the leaders in HD capacity and no one will be able to match their capacity.

they better increase the Resolutions of the HDTV channels and all future Channels
to the full 1920x1080i and increase the bitrate to the 19.4mbps by next year

Infact im getting ready to write an major letter to the High Ups at Directv and give them a lesson :cool:

Wish me luck guys :)
 
Status
Please reply by conversation.
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)