NIMIQ 2 launch delayed indefinitely

[Bada Boom]

Nimiq 2 scheduled for December 2002 has been delayed until at least Feb 2003.

So much for those 16 HD channels on Expressvu until at least June.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Why would the new channels be delayed untill June?

If the satellite was launch did go up in February it would be up by April.

By god Echostar is not even that slow. :)

[DP1]

I'd like to read more about the delay..do you have a link you could provide for more details?

[The New Davidp]

Here it is:

http://www.canadian-tv.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Hardware&Number=65167&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=2&fpart=

[dlsnyder]

What's going on with the BEV/*C merger rumors? Did anything come of that? If so could that be a reason for the delay?

[xxxx]

Originally posted by dlsnyder
What's going on with the BEV/*C merger rumors? Did anything come of that? If so could that be a reason for the delay?

Apparently Shaw turned down both offers for Star Choice because the bidders wanted Shaw subsiduary Cancom (the Canadian signal distributor to cable head ends) as well.

Now it seems that total anarchy is breaking out. The three largest Canadian cable companies, Rogers Shaw plus Videotron, are also content providers just like Expressvu's parent BCE. The cable companies are accusing Expressvu of robbing them due to Expressvu's lack of security and lack of effort in controlling it. One cable company, Videotron, has cut payments to BCE's services. They are ignoring CRTC directives and thus are headed to court.

Much of the Canadian public is discusted with BCE's double standard on the grey/gray market issue. This accounts for the unwillingness of the Canadian government to enforce the existing laws on signal reception. Jim Shaw has threatened to cut a deal with HBO and put HBO on Star Choice without CRTC approval.

Which in turn has brought the American Ambassador, Paul Celluci, into the fray. Star Choice already has the satellite with the largest North American coverage. Anik F1 covers all of Canada, all of US, most of Mexico and Cuba plus Hawaii and Alaska. With the addition of the even more powerful Anik F2 next year, Star Choice can spread havoc thru the whole continental broadcast industry. That's why Celluci wants to move all Mexican, US + Canadian broadcasting under NAFTA.