DISH Works at FCC for Additional Capacity

[Chris Blount]

EchoStar has applications pending at the Federal Communications Commission asking for access to additional satellite orbital locations, and the November issue of The BRIDGE has details concerning the company's plans to expand its space-based resources.

The No. 2 DBS operator has three applications pending before the FCC for use of three other DBS orbital locations: at 86.5 degrees, 96.5 degrees and 123.5 degrees. In its applications, EchoStar says it would use the additional capacity gained at the locations for delivery of spectrum intensive services such as high-def, more local channels and interactive TV.

EchoStar's DISH Network recently gained additional satellite capacity from the Federal Communications Commission, and is working with SES Americom for use of its satellites.

At DirecTV, the satellite TV company turned heads when it announced plans to use Ka-Band satellites to deliver up to 500 local high-def channels beginning next year and an additional 1,000 local HD stations sometime in 2007. Also, VOOM has applications at the FCC asking for access to additional orbital locations, both in Ku-Band and Ka-Band frequencies.

For more on satellite capacity issues, and for information on The BRIDGE, visit: http://www.mbc-thebridge.com.

http://www.skyreport.com (Used with permission)

[boylehome]

This is good news. Hopefully, the FCC will proactively approve.

[amit5roy5]

What about pacific feeds?

[boylehome]

What about pacific feeds?
I've noticed that 148 is drenched in foreign programming.

[Bobby94928]

What about pacific feeds?

123.5 is pretty far west, about 4.5º further west than 119...

[James Long]

What about pacific feeds?157 (already granted) would be the best place for those. Tie 148 and 157 together with west coast feeds and locals and do something unique!

SES is looking to get permission for 105.5 ... which could be used by E* along with 96.5, 123.5 and the existing 110-119 range. That's a lot of space for good stuff. :D

JL

[rocatman]

For these 4.5 degree DBS slots including SES Americom's proposed slot at 105.5, wouldn't the FCC need to have auctions for them or could they just award them to a company because they requested it?

[James Long]

For these 4.5 degree DBS slots including SES Americom's proposed slot at 105.5, wouldn't the FCC need to have auctions for them or could they just award them to a company because they requested it?The FCC seems to think they own the slots, but auctioning international locations could get interesting. They should probably stop at allowing US receive antennas to pick up the foreign birds.

The FCC doesn't have carte blanche to do as they will in international space.

JL

[Geeke19]

to heck with that what about broadband!!!!

[SimpleSimon]

Not again.

Satellite broadband is (and has been) a dying technology. I mean, heck, DSL is being rolled out in my neighborhood right now (a pleasant surprise). And this in an area so rural there's almost no cell phone coverage.

That being said, I expect to continue making money installing DirecWay for a few more years anyway.

[bcope9]

This could get interesting pending FCC approval for use as DBS slots. That should be enough space to provide HD-LIL for everyone. Plus we could see all national channels from 110-119 slots. So we could have a D500 and D300 for HD locals, hey it could work.

[Jacob S]

I have tried getting Verizon DSL for the past two years and NO GO. I live 7 miles in between two cities and there are even fiberoptic lines around here one as close as a few hundred feet from my house.

[dtanderson]

I have tried getting Verizon DSL for the past two years and NO GO. I live 7 miles in between two cities and there are even fiberoptic lines around here one as close as a few hundred feet from my house.

Forget DSL, you should wait for them to offer you FIOS. It will be cheaper and faster for you. I wish we had Verizon here but instead we are stuck with Sprint. Sprint was one of the last ones to jump on DSL because they were working on some other technology and then they finally ditched it for DSL and are so far behind because of this. Hopefully they will offer something like FIOS soon.

[Cyclone]

Is 123.5 a DBS slot? I thought that there was 9 degrees of separation between dbs slots (ie 101 / 110 /119 ). I would have thought that the next dbs slot would have been 128. Unless of course they have moved to half that with 4.5 degrees? (which would add up to 123.5). Then of course who would get 114.5 & 105.5 which I'm sure are coveted?

[James Long]

Is 123.5 a DBS slot?Not yet. And that's part of the issue. 105.5 IS a DBS slot, just not for this country. The tweener DBS issue has not been settled either by the FCC or the ITU (which is the bigger issue).

JL

[Rick_R]

In their annual report Echostar stated they had petitioned the FCC to change the spacing of DBS satellites from 9 degrees to 4 1/2 degrees. This apparently would double the available slots if it is OKed.

Rick R

[Jacob S]

If I cant get DSL then I highly doubt that I will get FIOS anytime soon either. I figure those that are getting DSL right now would be the ones to get FIOS at least at first. How far out can FIOS go from their office/station/city where it comes out of?

[gib4500]

If I cant get DSL then I highly doubt that I will get FIOS anytime soon either. I figure those that are getting DSL right now would be the ones to get FIOS at least at first. How far out can FIOS go from their office/station/city where it comes out of?

Well i know verizon is doing fiber to the place. which means it goes to peoples home. sbc is doing fiber to the node. and then the copper goes the rest of the way. so i don't think there is a distance limit like there is with copper.

[Bobby94928]

Actually, SBC is going to do both Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) and Fiber to the Node (FTTN). It all depends on whether it's new or existing plant. They will be able to offer service 3000 feet from the node. In populous areas that will offer almost everyone media services.

http://www.nwfusion.com/edge/news/2004/1111sbc.html

[Paul Secic]

If I cant get DSL then I highly doubt that I will get FIOS anytime soon either. I figure those that are getting DSL right now would be the ones to get FIOS at least at first. How far out can FIOS go from their office/station/city where it comes out of?
God, I got my 1st DSL hook up in 1998. Now my roommate share Comcast Net. We pay $29.95 each. They charge $59 if you don't have cabe.

[gib4500]

i wonder how long untill the phone companies start using those repeaters for regular dsl for those that live in rural places. i know sbc promised 100% coverage but that hasn't happened yet. i live in a rural area and am afraid it will take a good 4 years before fiber gets here.

[Jacob S]

Well I seen Verizon state that 100% of its customers will have high speed internet and video services in the future but the future could be 5 years, 10 years, etc.

[James Long]

Well I seen Verizon state that 100% of its customers will have high speed internet and video services in the future but the future could be 5 years, 10 years, etc.With the progress they are making, I'd say it could be 5 years, 4 years, etc. It is amazing how well penatration is progressing.

JL

[Unthinkable]

If I cant get DSL then I highly doubt that I will get FIOS anytime soon either. I figure those that are getting DSL right now would be the ones to get FIOS at least at first. How far out can FIOS go from their office/station/city where it comes out of?

Check this thread. Lots of Verizon DSL/Fiber info posted in this forum:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,11670824~mode=flat