http://www.tvpredictions.com/echohd030107.htm
The satcaster's top executives comment on high-def in a conference call with Wall Street analysts.
By Phillip Swann
Washington, D.C. (March 1, 2007) -- EchoStar today said its fourth quarter profit jumped 15 percent thanks largely to 350,000 new subscribers.
The company's Dish Network now has more national High-Definition channels than any other TV provider, but faces a serious challenge this year when DIRECTV is scheduled to expand its national HD lineup to 100 channels.
In a conference call today with Wall Street analysts, EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen and company president Carl Vogel commented on DIRECTV HD and other issues related to Dish Network's High-Definition TV service.
Here are the highlights:
What Was HDTV's Impact on EchoStar's 4Q Growth?
Vogel: "We had the only HD DVR in the market, for example, for a good portion of 2006 and we have been able to move our (revenues) up...The fact that we have products that people like and use, the phenomenon in HD has been very helpful for us."
How Many HDTV Subs Does EchoStar Have?
Vogel: "We do not give out that number."
Will HDTV Continue to Grow, Benefiting EchoStar?
Ergen: "The unknown really is what is the adoption of HD going to be. It clearly was more in 2006 and gained a lot of momentum. It is certainly not at frothy levels yet to make hugely material impacts to anybody in the industry yet. It is still single digit, maybe slightly double-digit kind of product. But there will be a day when everybody buys -- there will be a day when any TV set sold will be an HD TV set. That may be 10 years from now but I think -- I think it is positive for the satellite industry, let's put it that way."
DIRECTV Vows to Offer 100 National HD Channels This Year. Are You Worried?
Vogel: "We recognize that DIRECTV has an aggressive plan with respect to HD...We have done extremely well with HD. I still think our price points are going to remain much more attractive than DIRECTV, with or without discounts...We are pleased with where we stand with HD. We do not plan on backing away from HD. We think we have an advantage with our HD DVR product and we think we have an advantage with our HD pricing. In terms of additional content and additional markets, we can add to that as we move throughout '07.
Charlie Ergen, Are You Worried?
Ergen: "I think we have always said strategically we are not going to take a backseat to anybody in HD.
Is HDTV Getting Too Costly?
Ergen: "I think the disadvantage for satellite guys has been -- the advantage we have always had as an industry is we can do national signals much, much more efficiently in the cable industry because we use the bandwidth once, not multiple times, so we clearly have an advantage there...When you talk about controlling costs, you have to realize how complex your system is. I think we are very well positioned in HD to have a cost advantage, a material cost advantage over cable companies, particularly because of our national presence, and perhaps DIRECTV because of the way they have architected their system in KA band."
The satcaster's top executives comment on high-def in a conference call with Wall Street analysts.
By Phillip Swann
Washington, D.C. (March 1, 2007) -- EchoStar today said its fourth quarter profit jumped 15 percent thanks largely to 350,000 new subscribers.
The company's Dish Network now has more national High-Definition channels than any other TV provider, but faces a serious challenge this year when DIRECTV is scheduled to expand its national HD lineup to 100 channels.
In a conference call today with Wall Street analysts, EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen and company president Carl Vogel commented on DIRECTV HD and other issues related to Dish Network's High-Definition TV service.
Here are the highlights:
What Was HDTV's Impact on EchoStar's 4Q Growth?
Vogel: "We had the only HD DVR in the market, for example, for a good portion of 2006 and we have been able to move our (revenues) up...The fact that we have products that people like and use, the phenomenon in HD has been very helpful for us."
How Many HDTV Subs Does EchoStar Have?
Vogel: "We do not give out that number."
Will HDTV Continue to Grow, Benefiting EchoStar?
Ergen: "The unknown really is what is the adoption of HD going to be. It clearly was more in 2006 and gained a lot of momentum. It is certainly not at frothy levels yet to make hugely material impacts to anybody in the industry yet. It is still single digit, maybe slightly double-digit kind of product. But there will be a day when everybody buys -- there will be a day when any TV set sold will be an HD TV set. That may be 10 years from now but I think -- I think it is positive for the satellite industry, let's put it that way."
DIRECTV Vows to Offer 100 National HD Channels This Year. Are You Worried?
Vogel: "We recognize that DIRECTV has an aggressive plan with respect to HD...We have done extremely well with HD. I still think our price points are going to remain much more attractive than DIRECTV, with or without discounts...We are pleased with where we stand with HD. We do not plan on backing away from HD. We think we have an advantage with our HD DVR product and we think we have an advantage with our HD pricing. In terms of additional content and additional markets, we can add to that as we move throughout '07.
Charlie Ergen, Are You Worried?
Ergen: "I think we have always said strategically we are not going to take a backseat to anybody in HD.
Is HDTV Getting Too Costly?
Ergen: "I think the disadvantage for satellite guys has been -- the advantage we have always had as an industry is we can do national signals much, much more efficiently in the cable industry because we use the bandwidth once, not multiple times, so we clearly have an advantage there...When you talk about controlling costs, you have to realize how complex your system is. I think we are very well positioned in HD to have a cost advantage, a material cost advantage over cable companies, particularly because of our national presence, and perhaps DIRECTV because of the way they have architected their system in KA band."
