SkyAngel Plans Move to IPTV

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Sky Angel had to start somewhere but it just feels like they're jumping into this about three years too soon.

On that point I think they had little choice. What were the alternatives? Not many.

 

[catkoko]

I will try and look through the archives. maybe one of the guys who is SDA can help me out here?


Sky Angel could have done a few things different

1- launch the satellite in 2002

2- even with existing SAT they could have continued DBS in some fashion while still launching IPTV. 3abn has several viewing options available, why not sky angle?

It appears they sold out the lifetime members to fund their IPTV business.

 

[jashobeam]

Does anyone really believe they could afford a new satellite? Not counting the millions to build the thing, there is the launch costs from 40 million on up.

Howstuffworks "How Satellites Work"

Satellite launches don't always go well, as shown by this story on failed launches in 1999. There is a great deal at stake. For example, this hurricane-watch satellite mission cost $290 million. This missile-warning satellite cost $682 million.

Another important factor with satellites is the cost of the launch. According to this report, a satellite launch can cost anywhere between $50 million and $400 million. A shuttle mission pushes toward half a billion dollars (a shuttle mission could easily carry several satellites into orbit). You can see that building a satellite, getting it into orbit and then maintaining it from the ground control facility is a major financial endeavor!

I doubt SA ever brought in 10 million in revenues, much less hundreds of millions.

 

[Wescopc]

You are right jashobeam, a commercial satellite is $200 million and up. There is no way SA could have put a satellite up. The fact is, there aren't enough Subs (100,00 or so) to support any satellite service. I wish them well with IPTV.
Bob

 

[catkoko]

Sky angel told me there cost would have been around $10 million. That said, it wasn't MY idea that they launch the satellite. Sky angel didn't say IF, or MAYBE or someday, they said a specific year, 2002. So on or before 12/2002 sky angel was going to launch the satellite. it was up to them to project the costs and plan accordingly. If they hadn't been so busy investing in land (some of which they are trying to sell as they can't BUILD on it) they would have had the funds to launch the satellite! gives to meaning to buying swamp land in florida !

You say it never could have happened. So does that mean sky angel out right lied to people to get them to invest in their company (lifetime subs)? If not and they were planning/saving t launch the promised satellite then where are those funds? shouldn't/couldn't they be used in some way for the lifetimers?

You don't promise what you aren't sure you can deliver, they did.

 

[SatelliteAV]

3ABN was just one of the many religious broadcasters that Sky Angel "released" through the years. 3ABN was then allowed to sign with Dish Network for satellite carriage after Sky Angel modified an agreement to allow Dish Network to carry this particular religious network.

One year ago, 3ABN cooperated with a private company MOIPTV to provide their signal via an IPTV service. The IPTV carriage of 3ABN channels by MOIPTV was provided for 8 or 9 months before Sky Angel announced the new IPTV service. Since 3ABN already offers their channel on an IPTV service, it would seem redundant to pay another provider to carry their channels. Consider the context of how and why that they were eliminated from the Sky Angel channel line-up ........

I for one would be hesitant to cross a burned bridge that only has been repaired by applying a fresh coat of paint!

I will try and look through the archives. maybe one of the guys who is SDA can help me out here?


Sky Angel could have done a few things different

1- launch the satellite in 2002

2- even with existing SAT they could have continued DBS in some fashion while still launching IPTV. 3abn has several viewing options available, why not sky angle?

It appears they sold out the lifetime members to fund their IPTV business.

 

[catkoko]

MOIPTV is neulion, same as sky angel. As it has been working for "a year" makes you wonder why the delays launching sky angel via the same format.

that neulion video that was linked to said you needed a certain # of subs(10,000!!) to "break even" and that took kylin 2? years to make a profit. Maybe not as many subs signed up as hoped for. Also by giving the "free w/18) comittment, sky angel has an added upfront expense. Long term this will probably be a good thing IF sky angel can afford to ride things out. its not a quick $$$ maker by any means.

link to a neulion article confirming 10,000 subs to break even. Seems like sky angel is shooting for the moon here

NeuLion Inc


guess Gods will changed since 2006 (4 years after Satellite was supposed to launch). Notice who signed the letter, Rob. As of 2006 he was still promising a satellite..........

VEry interesting article regardings sky angels "vision". Note the highlighted area

May 25, 2006
As you may already be aware, on April 14th, Good Friday, we experienced a sudden loss of programming on 10 of our 33 channels. EchoStar Communications Corp., owner of the DISH Network satellite service, communicated to us that this loss was due to a technical failure of its EchoStar III satellite that we are currently sharing with EchoStar per a technical agreement we have with the company. We were successful in working with EchoStar to get seven of our 10 channels back on the air fairly quickly. Regrettably, three channels were not reinstated, and this technical failure evolved into contractual issues with EchoStar that, due to confidentiality restrictions in our agreement, we cannot publicly discuss. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to negotiate through the issues and are now prohibited from reinstating the channels that carried Three Angels Broadcasting, Golden Eagle Broadcasting and SPIRIT. Now that there is finality concerning our negotiations with EchoStar and it is certain that we will not be able to provide these three channels at this time, I wanted you to understand the reason.

I deeply regret the inconvenience that this interruption in programming may have caused you. As many of you know, we’ve faced a number of challenges with our relationship with EchoStar over the past few years; the Lord has guided us to positive outcomes in these cases (Romans 8:28) and we will continue to trust in Him for guidance and strength (Proverbs 3:5,6).

Presently we are exploring an option that might enable us to add one or two channels sometime in the future. We are happy to be able to continue carrying “3ABN Today” on our Angel One channel and hope to work with 3ABN to air special events, such as 3ABN’s “Ten Commandments Weekend” special that we carried in May on our special events channel, Angel Two. We continue to carry Safe TV which airs several of the same programs that 3ABN airs, including Sabbath programming. Additionally, in early June, we are trading the SuperChannel TBN feed with the national Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) feed on Channel 9709. TBN carries many of the same programs that aired on Golden Eagle and many others that were not previously airing on Sky Angel. Also, there are programs that aired on Golden Eagle that are airing on other Sky Angel channels as well, such as Richard Roberts’ “Hour of Healing” on our Angel One and Angel Two channels. Additionally, while Sky Angel already offers more contemporary Christian music than any other cable or satellite provider, we will be looking for ways to add more Christian music in cooperation with SPIRIT Television. If you are not a subscriber to our monthly printed TV guide, “Sky Angel Guide”, I encourage you to visit our free online program guide at Sky Angel: Christian Family-Friendly TV and Radio: Sky Angel® Interactive Online Program Guide or by clicking here to find out when your favorite shows are airing.

I ask for your prayers as we continue to move forward with the vision the Lord gave my father, Robert Johnson, Sr., for this project a little more than 25 years ago. Sky Angel’s mission is to build and operate a global direct broadcast satellite system, using our own satellites, as the most effective means of assuring that the Gospel will penetrate every nation, culture and people—even the most unreachable regions of the world. To build and launch our own satellite will cost in the neighborhood of $150 million dollars to achieve. It’s an awesome mission in both magnitude and cost, however, one that our studies have shown is attainable with the dedication of our staff and the growing support of Christians here in America subscribing to the Sky Angel service. We have been in negotiations with a satellite manufacturer for some time and have begun an effort to identify sources that will be helpful in raising the necessary funds. Sometimes the challenge seems almost beyond comprehension, but I’m constantly reminded that with God’s help everything is possible and that God’s will always prevails. As we grow, it is my prayer that additional resources will become available that will enable Sky Angel to support various other works of ministry around the world with one common purpose: to share the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

Yes, Sky Angel is a television service, still delivering into your home, church or business a wonderful array of TV and radio channels to edify, inform and entertain. But Sky Angel is also a unique work of ministry whose impact for the Kingdom has the potential to be huge. I pray that we can count on your support as we continue to trust in the Lord to guide us during this challenging yet exciting journey.

In His service,


Rob Johnson
CEO


P.S. Please understand that our call center representatives have no further information to provide.


http://www.skyangel.com/About/Index.asp?Id...e&q=3ABN&p=f&~=


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"Press on, regardless...what's to come is better than what's been...!"

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Sky angel told me there cost would have been around $10 million. That said, it wasn't MY idea that they launch the satellite. Sky angel didn't say IF, or MAYBE or someday, they said a specific year, 2002. So on or before 12/2002 sky angel was going to launch the satellite. it was up to them to project the costs and plan accordingly. If they hadn't been so busy investing in land (some of which they are trying to sell as they can't BUILD on it) they would have had the funds to launch the satellite! gives to meaning to buying swamp land in florida !

You say it never could have happened. So does that mean sky angel out right lied to people to get them to invest in their company (lifetime subs)? If not and they were planning/saving t launch the promised satellite then where are those funds? shouldn't/couldn't they be used in some way for the lifetimers?

You don't promise what you aren't sure you can deliver, they did.

Shades of Jim Bakker who, as I understand it, went to jail for claiming donations were going to "Kevin's House" when in fact they were really going to pay for a needed waste treatment facility. And then there's those unfulfilled lifetime partner accommodations.

 

[jashobeam]

If they hadn't been so busy investing in land (some of which they are trying to sell as they can't BUILD on it) they would have had the funds to launch the satellite! gives to meaning to buying swamp land in florida !

You think they invested hundreds of millions in land? I don't think it was near that amount. No, even without the land, there was no way they could have afforded a satelltie EVER.

I have no idea what SA was thinking when they said they planned to launch a new satellite. Perhaps they were looking at past sub numbers and forecasting future revenues. That is what business people do and if they are wrong, they are wrong. Do you think SA is the first and only business to make huge mistakes? Why do people keep acting like SA had back then all the info we have now? Why think they lied, when it could have been they planned and the plans did not pan out. It happens every day in business. Plans fail, business go under, services stop. It's been happening for thousands of years.

 

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I "plan" to win the lottery, if someone will just donate me the winning ticket.

 

[catkoko]

Did sky angel use the word "plan" or did they just say they would "launch a new satellite in 2002"?

 

[jashobeam]

Did sky angel use the word "plan" or did they just say they would "launch a new satellite in 2002"?

Would can mean plan. When you say, "I will buy a new car next year," and you loose your job before that purchase then you were not lying. You were working on info you had at the time. You didn't know you were not able to afford the vehicle because you thought your income was going to at least stay the same. Either way you were planning to do something that you were unable to afford.

 

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Perhaps a better analogy would be saying I plan to buy a Caddy when you're on unemployment.

 

[jashobeam]

Perhaps a better analogy would be saying I plan to buy a Caddy when you're on unemployment.

So you've met my aunt? LOL, she does things like that. Actually she goes ahead and buys what she cannot afford and then wonders why they get repoed. She says they should know she has no employement or way to pay for the things, why are they expecting her to pay. I figure SA at least had revenues when they were planning for the future, just not enough revenues pouring in to acomplish what they wanted to do.