hectorshelagh2001
12-17-02, 11:39 PM
Hey ...
I surfed over to SkyAngel and read this archived news release from their website ... here are some interesting excerpts dealing with DBS history:
In December 1980, the Communications Satellite Corporation (ComSat) through its subsidiary STC (Satellite Television Corporation) was the first to apply for an "experimental" DBS license. In June 1981, along with STC/ComSat, the FCC accepted eight other "competing" applications for the new satellite-to-home television and radio service, including an application filed by Dominion, then known as Video Satellite Systems, Inc. Other pioneering DBS applicants were such industry luminaries as CBS Television Network, RCA (then owner of NBC Television Network), Graphic Scanning, Western Union, Direct Broadcast Satellite Corp., Focus Broadcasting and USSB.
In 1981, DBS was considered untested technology with frequency spectrum and orbital slots yet to be assigned and no satellite manufacturer with a high-power DBS satellite design. The new technology was widely opposed by television station and cable industry trade groups.
In July 1984, the FCC began granting construction permits, and STC, USSB and Dominion were the first to receive authorizations. Four months later, STC announced it was quitting the DBS business just months before the company was expected to launch two high-power DBS satellites. All of the other first-round DBS permittees, except for USSB and Dominion, gave up or forfeited their DBS licenses during the early 1980s as the cable industry quickly gained dominance in the marketplace for multi-channel television distribution systems.
A second-round 1983 DBS permittee, DirecTV owned by General Motors/Hughes Electronics Corporation eventually teamed up with first-round DBS permittee USSB to launch America's first high-power DBS service in 1994. EchoStar Communications Corporation, a 1989 DBS permittee, was the third high-power DBS service, launching in December 1995, followed by Dominion Video Satellite, Inc. in December 1996.
:hi:
I surfed over to SkyAngel and read this archived news release from their website ... here are some interesting excerpts dealing with DBS history:
In December 1980, the Communications Satellite Corporation (ComSat) through its subsidiary STC (Satellite Television Corporation) was the first to apply for an "experimental" DBS license. In June 1981, along with STC/ComSat, the FCC accepted eight other "competing" applications for the new satellite-to-home television and radio service, including an application filed by Dominion, then known as Video Satellite Systems, Inc. Other pioneering DBS applicants were such industry luminaries as CBS Television Network, RCA (then owner of NBC Television Network), Graphic Scanning, Western Union, Direct Broadcast Satellite Corp., Focus Broadcasting and USSB.
In 1981, DBS was considered untested technology with frequency spectrum and orbital slots yet to be assigned and no satellite manufacturer with a high-power DBS satellite design. The new technology was widely opposed by television station and cable industry trade groups.
In July 1984, the FCC began granting construction permits, and STC, USSB and Dominion were the first to receive authorizations. Four months later, STC announced it was quitting the DBS business just months before the company was expected to launch two high-power DBS satellites. All of the other first-round DBS permittees, except for USSB and Dominion, gave up or forfeited their DBS licenses during the early 1980s as the cable industry quickly gained dominance in the marketplace for multi-channel television distribution systems.
A second-round 1983 DBS permittee, DirecTV owned by General Motors/Hughes Electronics Corporation eventually teamed up with first-round DBS permittee USSB to launch America's first high-power DBS service in 1994. EchoStar Communications Corporation, a 1989 DBS permittee, was the third high-power DBS service, launching in December 1995, followed by Dominion Video Satellite, Inc. in December 1996.
:hi: