Interesting Turn of Events at Dish

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SatelliteGuys Pro
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Jan 7, 2008
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From the Dish Forum:

That is Sad! Indeed sad!

Boeing Patent Shuts Down AMC-14 Lunar Flyby Salvage Attempt
a2100-amc15-bg.jpg

illustration only by Staff Writers
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 10, 2008

Attempts to salvage a wayward GEO comsat have come unstuck in the face of institutional disinterest and an aging patent of questionable validity.

The AMC-14 commercial geostationary satellite was launched in March by a Proton launch vehicle into space just short of its minimum geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).

SES Americom, the world's largest commercial satellite firm, owns the satellite and was to lease capacity on AMC-14 to the Echostar group.

Following the failed launch, SES Americom looked into how they might salvage the satellite in a manner similar to the Asiasat-3 salvage in 1998.

However, SpaceDaily has now learned that a plan to salvage AMC-14 was abandoned a week ago when SES gave up in the face of patent issues relating to the lunar flyby process used to bring wayward GEO birds back to GEO Earth orbit. Sources have told SpaceDaily that it was possible to bring AMC-14 back via the moon to a stable GEO orbit where the high powered satellite would have been able to operate for at four years and probably longer.

In the face of unrelated legal battles between the current patent owner Boeing and the satellite's owner SES Americom - any efforts to salvage AMC-14 have been cast aside. Primarily this is because SES is currently suing Boeing for an unrelated New Skies matter in the order of $50 million dollars - and Boeing told SES that the patent was only available if SES Americom dropped the lawsuit.
Industry sources have told SpaceDaily that the patent is regarded as legal "trite", as basic physics has been rebranded as a "process", and that the patent wouldn't stand up to any significant level of court scrutiny and was only registered at the time as "the patent office was incompetent when it came to space matters".

SES has decided not to pursue any legal options against Boeing and wants to collect their insurance policy payout. However, their insurance company was not being fully briefed on the options and at this time is planning to pay the policy out. Separately, another company has approached the insurers about buying the spacecraft for salvage using the lunar flyby option. Initially, the insurers were surprised as they had no knowledge of this option and suggested that they contact SES Americom directly.

While most satellite insurance policies allow the insurer to take ownership of a satellite when they pay a claim, they rarely do this. The default is instead to leave "ownership" with the operators, who are then legally obliged to safely deorbit the satellite or move the satellite into a GEO parking orbit. At this stage SES Americom is working with a major US space consultancy to rapidly deorbit the satellite - as early as this Friday. SpaceDaily has been told that various attempts by third parties to buy the satellite have been ignored and both parties are "eager to splash the satellite within days".

Oddly, I made a few suggestions in regards to salvaging the bird back just after the rescue attempt options were initially discussed. Or looking at it another way, SA needed a bird and here is one with flaws (being a shorter lifespan) that could have been had for scrap by some partnership or another.

Practical or not, I find it odd that an opportunity may have presented itself but doesn't seem likely will be capitalized upon. It's a shame to splash a bird when it's expected lifespan will about fill the time needed to rebuild and try again. Worse yet that SA really could have used this opportunity to save DBS had things played out slightly different, as I suggested was not outside the realm of possibility.

Oh well.
 
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SA sold their DBS licenses to E*, putting them out of the satellite business. It is highly unlikely they would ever be able to purchase such licenses again. It's IPTV or bust now.
 
SkyAngel would have done well to pursue both IPTV & satellite. Each communications method can attract customers that are unable to use the other one. Some folks don't have high speed internet; others may not have the ability to put a dish in a place where it can see a satellite.

With SkyAngel down to three satellite channels perhaps the best thing it can do now is focus on developing a programming schedule which the general public will watch. My understanding of the original grand vision of SkyAngel was to use technology to reach the world for Christ. I hope it will use those three public interest channels towards that goal. My former pastor once gave his formula for effective outreach activities--have fun, have fun, have fun, tell them about Jesus. That may not be too bad of a philosophy to pursue with Angel 1, KTV and Angel 2.
 
With all the bad luck with satellites Charlie has been having I would think he'd want all the Divine help he could get. :D
 
sky angel sold the dbs licenses to fund IPTV. I doubt sky angel could have afforded to launch IPTV otherwise
 
Most of us really have little clue how it was actually financed or how many units they need in operation to keep it going.

All we do know is that IPTV Canada didn't do so hot and that the cost of the box being subsidized to get that $15 - $25 a month in revenue might not break even after the 18 month commitment period. And then there's talk of a new box coming along about that time.

However I guess the primary reason SA DBS will not be resurrected is not the lack of funding but the lack of interest by both parties. If they don't want to do it them money part kinda becomes irrelevant.
 
Although my internet connection isn't fast enough to use SkyAngel IPTV I have noticed that much of the religious programming is available online from the individual ministry websites. All the religious programs I had watched on satellite are available online at no cost. (One church service I viewed regularly on satellite actually had the full, unedited version on their website. The telecast was edited to fit into the programming schedule.) I wonder how long it will be before subscribers cut out the middleman (SkyAngel) and pull the programming straight from the individual websites.

For those who want to see the channels that are on GloryStar, it would be cheaper to buy their package than pay a monthly IPTV fee. In the long run SkyAngel IPTV may have problems finding a customer base.
 
There is a value to having all the channels consolidated and conveniently accessible. When I thought I might lose Sky Angel months ago, I invested time setting up a "favorites" folder on my computer for TV channels, radio stations, and specific programs I would miss. That could still be a decent alternative if Sky Angel were not there. However, I discovered a few things as I tried out that approach.

First, different sites used different players and it often took numerous clicks to finally get to the program or station. There was no uniformity, it was confusing, and sometimes the quality was poor.

Second, I soon realized that if that was my approach, in spite of my best intentions, I just wasn't likely to follow through and access the programming on a regular basis. I take much more advantage of the offerings through the Sky Angel IPTV service. Add in the VOD and 48-hour review, and I can pretty easily find good programming when I have time to watch.

Finally, even though much of the programming is offered free on-line, some of the best programming (in my opinion) is not. My favorite programs are on in the morning on FamilyNet. I cannot watch those on-line. Conferences, concerts, and special events that may be available on Sky Angel are not generally available on-line -- or I might not know ahead that they will be broadcast, and would miss them.

My conclusion is that $14.99/mo. is a bargain for the convenience and consolidation the SA service provides. I don't view my dollars as paying for the actual programs so much as for the way they are delivered to me.

For those who can access on-line programming, but for whatever reason cannot or do not want to subscribe to SA IPTV, I encourage you to invest some time in setting up a folder of bookmarks to help you do it. It's always worthwhile to invest your time and energy into feeding on God's Word!

When I compare the IPTV programming with the Sky Angel DBS offering, I can say that there is much, much more there with the IPTV service. It's a pretty complete offering.
 
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When I compare the IPTV programming with the Sky Angel DBS offering, I can say that there is much, much more there with the IPTV service. It's a pretty complete offering.

I second that motion...

Some people like to make the argument that many of the Christian channels broadcast free on their website. Generally they do it in low resolution, and while I could somehow hook my laptop up to my TV -- I don't want to.

I'm happy with the service. I currently subscribe to 6.0 mbps cable internet , which requires me to have 14 dollar basic cable to qualify for the standard price. I'm going to seriously consider going antenna for the broadcast channels and switch to DSL -- for my SA IPTV.
 
You should probably consider the cost of the DSL could exceed the cable option for the bandwidth needed.

I have Vonage and no landline so even to get the low end DSL speeds (which is too slow for IPTV) I'd have to pay a fee that is just about what subscribing to lifeline phone service would cost, in addition to the actual DSL fees.

So for me DSL is a way more expensive route since I pay $35 for 7.0 Mbps and $15 Vonage going the cable route. Plus my local DSL makes you commit for 2 years with heavy term fees or else pay close to double the rate going month to month.
 
It was in some of the earlier discussions here in this forum. Could just be a rumor for all I know.
 

Sky Angel and KyLinTV

Guardian Enterprise sells WSFJ-51 Columbus (GTN Flagship)

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