Post by dkennedy on May 9, 2007 6:20:41 GMT -5
EchoStar Will Launch New HDTV Satellites
The satcaster looks to expand high-def capacity.
May 9, 2007
By Phillip Swann, tvpredictions.com
EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen revealed yesterday that his company will launch two new satellites late this year to expand capacity for High-Definition channels.
That's according to an article in The Rocky Mountain News.
The newspaper did not reveal more details, but posters at several Internet message boards last week said Ergen first disclosed the company's launch plans at EchoStar's annual summit of retailers.
Ergen vowed that EchoStar would remain the industry's high-def leader and told retailers that the company would have two new satellites going up by year's end.
EchoStar's Dish Network now carries 32 national high-def channels, more than any other TV provider. However, the nation's second largest satcaster is under pressure from rival DIRECTV to expand HD capacity in the coming months. DIRECTV has said it will offer 100 national HD channels by year's end.
Cable operators are also planning to offer high-def channels by using new bandwidth-expanding technologies and removing analog channels to create more room.
If the launches are successful, EchoStar could dramatically expand its high-def lineup in early 2008, matching or perhaps even surpassing DIRECTV's total number of HD channels.
The satcaster looks to expand high-def capacity.
May 9, 2007
By Phillip Swann, tvpredictions.com
EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen revealed yesterday that his company will launch two new satellites late this year to expand capacity for High-Definition channels.
That's according to an article in The Rocky Mountain News.
The newspaper did not reveal more details, but posters at several Internet message boards last week said Ergen first disclosed the company's launch plans at EchoStar's annual summit of retailers.
Ergen vowed that EchoStar would remain the industry's high-def leader and told retailers that the company would have two new satellites going up by year's end.
EchoStar's Dish Network now carries 32 national high-def channels, more than any other TV provider. However, the nation's second largest satcaster is under pressure from rival DIRECTV to expand HD capacity in the coming months. DIRECTV has said it will offer 100 national HD channels by year's end.
Cable operators are also planning to offer high-def channels by using new bandwidth-expanding technologies and removing analog channels to create more room.
If the launches are successful, EchoStar could dramatically expand its high-def lineup in early 2008, matching or perhaps even surpassing DIRECTV's total number of HD channels.