11-28-01, 12:28 PM
WSNet, the Austin-based company providing satellite TV on a wholesale basis to MDUs and small rural cable operators, has asked the Federal Communications Commission for landing rights licenses in the United States from two Canadian DBS orbital locations.
The Canadian DBS slots are located at 91 degrees and 82 degrees. In two separate applications, WSNet requested licenses for an Earth station to transmit and receive signals from the orbital slots, and one million receive-only dishes. WSNet said it intends to use the licenses to further enhance its rural market wholesale digital satellite services.
"In light of the impending mega-merger of EchoStar/DISH and Hughes/DirecTV, these filings become critical in enabling WSNet to expand the pre-packaged digital video service offering that it provides to wholesale customers, who are primarily rural cable operators and locally owned private cable operators," said Jared E. Abbruzzese, chairman and acting CEO at WSNet.
In its effort to get the FCC licenses, WSNet pointed out that a merged DISH/DirecTV entity would control 100 percent of the nation's full-CONUS licenses. The merger would also have consequences for rural TV viewers, WSNet said.
"In essence, rural America would be left to call a 1-800 number in Littleton, Colo., to try and get their local TV services," Abbruzzese said. "While there are a number of plans being proposed on how to deliver local programming to the rural markets, the only viable source today is the local subscription television company who needs a cost-effective way to upgrade its services. Currently, WSNet is that source."
From Sky Report (http://www.skyreport.com/#one) [Used with Permission]
The Canadian DBS slots are located at 91 degrees and 82 degrees. In two separate applications, WSNet requested licenses for an Earth station to transmit and receive signals from the orbital slots, and one million receive-only dishes. WSNet said it intends to use the licenses to further enhance its rural market wholesale digital satellite services.
"In light of the impending mega-merger of EchoStar/DISH and Hughes/DirecTV, these filings become critical in enabling WSNet to expand the pre-packaged digital video service offering that it provides to wholesale customers, who are primarily rural cable operators and locally owned private cable operators," said Jared E. Abbruzzese, chairman and acting CEO at WSNet.
In its effort to get the FCC licenses, WSNet pointed out that a merged DISH/DirecTV entity would control 100 percent of the nation's full-CONUS licenses. The merger would also have consequences for rural TV viewers, WSNet said.
"In essence, rural America would be left to call a 1-800 number in Littleton, Colo., to try and get their local TV services," Abbruzzese said. "While there are a number of plans being proposed on how to deliver local programming to the rural markets, the only viable source today is the local subscription television company who needs a cost-effective way to upgrade its services. Currently, WSNet is that source."
From Sky Report (http://www.skyreport.com/#one) [Used with Permission]