FCC grants VOOM more capacity

[AndyMon]

FCC grants VOOM more capacity

The FCC denied Echostar's request to renew its temporary authority
on the two unassigned transponders at 61.5 degrees, and granted
Rainbow's request to use these two transponders (23 & 24).

Dish has HDTV PPV and standard PPV channels on these two
transponders, which must be vacated by October 8, 2003.

Rainbow will now have 13 transponders (rather than 11) with which to
work at 61.5

(Also posted in the VaVaVaVoom forum since it pertains to both Voom and E*)

 

[AndyMon]

Links For More Info

From FCC Daily Digest:

ECHOSTAR SATELLITE CORPORATION AND RAINBOW DBS COMPANY, LLC. Granted
Rainbow's request for special temporary authority. Denied EchoStar's
request to renew its special temporary authority. Action by: the
Commission. Adopted: 10/01/2003 by O&A. (DA No. 03-3024). IB
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_publ...A-03-3024A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_publ...A-03-3024A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_publ...A-03-3024A1.txt

This is lifted from John H's post at DBSTalk

 

[mike123abc]

Interesting that Voom has to put a notice in their brochures saying that the packages that use those two transponders will expire on April 5th 2004!

 

[AndyMon]

I think Voom was only given the rights for 180 days.

 

[Ken_F]

Next year, those three transponders go up for auction. Echostar will definitely be a participant in those auctions.

 

[fv3]

Next year, those three transponders go up for auction. Echostar will definitely be a participant in those auctions.

Maybe, but I am thinking Dish is positioning itself to abandon 61.5, IF Cablevision coughs up enough money.

 

[Ken_F]

fv3,

They won't abandon 61.5 anytime soon. They rely on 61.5 and 148 for secondary locals, which they are required to carry by law. There isn't space for them on 105 (at least, not if they want to carry HDTV).

Without 61.5, they'd probably have to drop 10% to 20% of their local markets. Part of the reason for moving internationals on 121 is to clear space on 61.5 for secondary locals in the new markets they intend to serve.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Remember a few of the transponders on 61.5 are "borrowed" by Dish from Sky Angel.

I understand Sky Angel is building their own uplink, when this is done dish will lose those transponders as well.

 

[Bill R]

I understand Sky Angel is building their own uplink, when this is done dish will lose those transponders as well.

On the recent "Sky Angel updates" Dominion hasn't mentioned anything about what their plans are for using their other transponders on 61.5. Right now they are using two transponders for their 36 channels (and yes, their channels look very over compressed). It would be nice if they used their additional transponders for their current channels.

Sky Angel plans to start constriction of their uplink center in 2004 in Naples, Flordia. Here is some information about their plans from a press release on their web site:

Dominion Sky Angel takes ownership of 23 acres for international headquarters 8/14/2003

"The project will be constructed in three phases. Construction of Phase I, which will comprise the company’s 47,000-square-foot technical center and transmission and receiving satellite dish antennas, is scheduled to commence the first half of 2004.

Dominion currently has a technical agreement with DISH™ Network that enables use of the Littleton, Colorado-based DBS operator’s uplink facilities in Cheyenne, Wyoming and its proprietary satellite receiving system. Upon completion of the 47,000-square-foot technical center and transmission and receiving satellite dish antennas that comprise Phase I, Sky Angel will be able to uplink all 36 of its TV and radio channels through its new Naples facility and continue efforts to expand its service internationally."

 

[mike123abc]

Remember a few of the transponders on 61.5 are "borrowed" by Dish from Sky Angel.

I understand Sky Angel is building their own uplink, when this is done dish will lose those transponders as well.

Well that would be quite a trick considering they have a lease to use E3 until at least 2011 in exchange for the 7 transponders. Is Echostar just going to let them out of the lease agreement? Will they switch and broadcast from Rainbow1? Unless E* is thinking of selling everything on 61.5 I bet they would not let the transponders go away without a fight.

 

[TNGTony]

Scott,

The Sky Angel/Dish deal was until 2009 (10 years) or throught the life of E*3 whichever comes first. So E* has the use of these transponders for use in the US.

I keep hearing this talk of Dish selling 61.5 to Voom. This is absolutely NUTS! Never going to happen. At least not unless the FCC yanks E*'s 11 and Sky Angel's 8 licenses.

Sky Angel still has plans to use 61.5 for international service (to South America, Africa and Europe).

Dish will NOT give up space to a direct competitor! This would be the worst in business practices. Anyone who has taken evne the most remedial course in business would know you NEVER give your competitor any kind of leg up.

Dish continues to add channels to 61.5° which tells me that they have absolutely no intention to vacate this slot.

See ya
Tony

 

[Chris Freeland]

Scott,

The Sky Angel/Dish deal was until 2009 (10 years) or throught the life of E*3 whichever comes first. So E* has the use of these transponders for use in the US.

I keep hearing this talk of Dish selling 61.5 to Voom. This is absolutely NUTS! Never going to happen. At least not unless the FCC yanks E*'s 11 and Sky Angel's 8 licenses.

Sky Angel still has plans to use 61.5 for international service (to South America, Africa and Europe).

Dish will NOT give up space to a direct competitor! This would be the worst in business practices. Anyone who has taken evne the most remedial course in business would know you NEVER give your competitor any kind of leg up.

Dish continues to add channels to 61.5° which tells me that they have absolutely no intention to vacate this slot.

See ya
Tony

Yes I agree 100%, I just wonder what all those people who belive that E* is going to give up 61.5 are smoking ? If anything E* will end up buying V*.

 

[rtt2]

Could not have said it better myself Tony.

 

[Stargazer]

Dish MIGHT trade transponders but would not sell them when they are this hard to come by.

 

[Bill R]

If anything E* will end up buying V*.

I don't know if it will be DISH, but I think that someone will buy it within two years. I don't think that VOOM has enough content (even with all those HD channels) to make it.

 

[Tahoerob]

Yes I agree 100%, I just wonder what all those people who belive that E* is going to give up 61.5 are smoking ? If anything E* will end up buying V*.

Of course that would be IF Voom actually gets rolling & is worth subscribing to.

I am still wondering where they are going to get fresh HD content for their exclusive 29 channels!!

Robert

 

[Stargazer]

They probably realize that it may take a little while to get some marketing out there and to get started off with some decent subscriber growth. I would say they would be in business for about a year or two. I believe AlphaStar only lasted less than a year when they went out.

 

[fv3]

Yes I agree 100%, I just wonder what all those people who belive that E* is going to give up 61.5 are smoking ? If anything E* will end up buying V*.

I can not speak for others, but I am not smoking anything. Let's try to avoid the argumentum ad hominem, shall we?

It is probable there will be some play at 61.5 in the next 24 months.

Either E* will buy out Voom, or Voom will buy E*'s rights at 61.5, the lease arrangement with SA, and possibly E* 3. Or maybe SA will somehow come up with the money to buy E*3 and E*'s licenses at 61.5.

I'm not entirely sure DOJ/FCC/FTC will allow E* to buy Voom. The position that DOJ staked out regarding the E*/D* merger makes it hard for them to now approve E* buying Voom, in my opinion.

SA's right to use 8 assigned frequencies at 61.5 does not preclude E* from selling the E* assigned frequencies to Voom. Nor does the lease/sub-lease arrangement.

With all due respect to Tony (and a great deal is due IMHO), the "not selling assets to a competitor" argument is a red herring. Large companies sell assets to competitors quite frequently.


Almost all the international channels at 61.5 are duplicated on 148. 121 will offer plenty of space for those as well. There are roughly 60 local channels on 61.5. I expect many of these to ultimately wind up at 105.


Given one of the biggest gripes about E* for many customers is the dislike of the second dish that needs to be installed for minor locals / HD / internationals, it seems to me Dish is trying to get most (if not all) of its signals into the 105 through 125 arc to allow for a single dish solution for CONUS customers. I expect E* to be the dominant (if not exclusive) lessor of AMC-15 (when deployed) at 105, and it would not surprise me if E* also has plans to use a majority of AMC-14 (if approved by the FCC) at 105.5 (effectively 105 as well).

[Regarding AMC-14 at 105.5, note that SES already has license authority from the Government of Gibraltar to launch and operate this satellite. What they do not currently have from the FCC is authority to operate a BSS (a.k.a. DTH or DBS) service from this location to the USA.]

 

[Stargazer]

Will the satellite at 105.5 require only an 18 inch or smaller dish or will it require a larger dish?

 

[fv3]

Will the satellite at 105.5 require only an 18 inch or smaller dish or will it require a larger dish?

I have not seen any published transponder output power numbers for the proposed AMC-14 satellite. However, I think it reasonable to assume a dish which is equivalent in gain to a round 18 to 20 inch dish will be in the ballpark for receiving this satellite.