Dish and DirecTV once again in talks despite antitrust.

[Juan]

Charlie will just decide 5G is too expensive and drop it. Introducing 4G flex pack for only 15 bucks.

He did get a really good deal on a 3g network(boost)

 

[NashGuy]

A lot of money to give up, both on Sinclair’s side and the Providers.

For example, Comcast has 20 million video subs, the majority get the RSN, Sinclair would no longer get the per sub fee from the RSN ( and the majority of Comcast’s subs get a RSN from Sinclair based on all the areas Comcast is in) and Comcast losses out on that surcharge which they have to be making some money on.

And Sinclair cannot be serious that people will pay $23 a month, heck, ESPN+ is only $7 a month and only have 17 million subs while Disney+ has about 100 million in the US.

That show sports are just not that important to most and that price will scare away the fringe customers.

Yeah, there would definitely be fewer takers for the RSNs if they become completely optional for all cable TV subs. Which, I'm sure, is why there's talk of the standalone service being priced at $23 instead of the average amount that cable subs pay via their RSN fee, which is maybe half that. My guess is there will be a discount for those who pre-pay for an entire year, although many folks wouldn't do that because they only care about one of the three sports, MLB, NHL or NBA.

You can't really be a loyal watcher of any team in those three major pro leagues if you don't have their RSN. That's where the vast majority of their games are carried. ESPN+ just isn't a valid comparison because it's a grab bag of less popular sports plus a few games here and there from the major ones.

You may be right that we won't see the RSNs completely unbundled. Might see a situation where Comcast, for instance, moves them from their most popular channel package up to their upper-tier package, while also offering the standalone app on X1 to anyone who wants it. And even if DISH doesn't strike a new carriage deal with Sinclair to carry their RSNs, it looks like the soon-to-release next generation of Hopper and Joey hardware will run Android TV, so DISH subs may be able to just run the upcoming Bally standalone app on their DISH box.

 

[NashGuy]

Of course, “back” is a key word, now isn’t it? You really never know what “dispute” will be going on, local or national, when every other provider figures it out.

But leaving that aside, other than the Pac 12 network, DirecTV gives me what I want. DISH is just a bunch of stuff I can get for free OTA, on services like Paramount Plus, Peacock, Hulu, HBO Max, and Netflix; and rerun channels that are either also free OTA, or have very similar versions on Pluto, et al.

If a person has good internet, why would they pay for this?

Which is the DISH market right now. People with out good internet and people trying to save a few $$ and will swear that the “really” don’t miss all that content.

That may be, probably is, a viable market to target. Its just not me.

I want access to luxury TV. All the content.

Yes, DISH is definitely more prone to carriage negotiation blackouts than DTV, although they affect both. And DTV has better HD picture quality, a point I've already mentioned. (Perhaps a combined service would continue to use the DTV sats and their encoding/uplink operations, so DTV-level PQ might remain.)

But as for "all the content," I still don't know what it is you're talking about that DTV has but DISH lacks, aside from those RSNs. What makes DTV "luxury TV"? Yes, they're the exclusive provider of NFL Sunday Ticket, but that's highly unlikely to be the case after this year, i.e. by the time the two might actually be merged.

From what I can find, it looks like the only (non-religious, non-shopping) channels DTV carries but DISH lacks completely are:

• CNBC World
• GOLTV
• Universal Kids
• TV One

Not many folks would call those "must-have" channels. Meanwhile, there are a few channels (mainly diginets) that DISH carries but DTV completely lacks: Cozi TV, Circle, Laff, Antenna TV, GetTV, etc.

Now, there may be the odd premium multiplex channel (e.g. Showtime Women) carried on DTV but not DISH. And maybe there's still a few channels that DTV has in HD but DISH only has in SD? Still though, I just don't see much difference in the overall channel availability between the two aside from the RSNs.

 

[omeletpants]

Of course, “back” is a key word, now isn’t it? You really never know what “dispute” will be going on, local or national, when every other provider figures it out.

But leaving that aside, other than the Pac 12 network, DirecTV gives me what I want. DISH is just a bunch of stuff I can get for free OTA, on services like Paramount Plus, Peacock, Hulu, HBO Max, and Netflix; and rerun channels that are either also free OTA, or have very similar versions on Pluto, et al.

If a person has good internet, why would they pay for this?

Which is the DISH market right now. People with out good internet and people trying to save a few $$ and will swear that the “really” don’t miss all that content.

That may be, probably is, a viable market to target. Its just not me.

I want access to luxury TV. All the content.

Because DISH provides the fabulous Hopper with it's app consolidation via the menu system. Everyone wants to minimize that value, but it's compelling to me and others. I dont want a clunky, clumsy system where I have to access a bunch of unrelated apps with NO GUIDE. Let me say that again: NO GUIDE

There I say no thanks to the cord cutting you suggest

 

[Mochuf]

Dish should be given AT LEAST a two year extension. Not only for COVID, but for delays in 5G equipment availability.

Maybe if they started with building a network when they bought their first bit of spectrum, they wouldn't need an extension. They would be replacing 4G with 5G like everyone else.

 

[navychop]

I believe the stated goal all along was to use 5G.

I have no reason to believe DTV has better encoders than Dish. I believe they simply have more bandwidth for what they carry.

 

[Juan]

Maybe if they started with building a network when they bought their first bit of spectrum, they wouldn't need an extension. They would be replacing 4G with 5G like everyone else.

They are building a internet network rather than a cellular phone network

 

[nelson61]

Sure would change local blackout negotiations. Would put satellite in a much stronger position.

 

[mwdxer1]

The concern is not with 5G in general, just the newly reallocated "C-band" frequencies that are close to the frequencies used by aircraft for landings. The reallocated frequencies are roughly in the 3.7 to 4.2 Ghz spectrum while the radio altimeters used by aircraft when landing use the 4.2 to 4.4 Ghz spectrum. Not to make light of the situation, but it's a common flight training saying that, "Take-offs are optional, landings are mandatory.", making any interference with the instrumentation a very serious issue. I have no idea how big or little the problem may actually be though.

If they do not get the issue fixed, there will be no 5G, 6G or any. The aircraft takes priority.

 

[navychop]

That C band is a small portion of the frequencies to be used.

Your tax dollars at work.

 

[mwdxer1]

Yes, DISH is definitely more prone to carriage negotiation blackouts than DTV, although they affect both. And DTV has better HD picture quality, a point I've already mentioned. (Perhaps a combined service would continue to use the DTV sats and their encoding/uplink operations, so DTV-level PQ might remain.)

But as for "all the content," I still don't know what it is you're talking about that DTV has but DISH lacks, aside from those RSNs. What makes DTV "luxury TV"? Yes, they're the exclusive provider of NFL Sunday Ticket, but that's highly unlikely to be the case after this year, i.e. by the time the two might actually be merged.

From what I can find, it looks like the only (non-religious, non-shopping) channels DTV carries but DISH lacks completely are:

• CNBC World
• GOLTV
• Universal Kids
• TV One

Not many folks would call those "must-have" channels. Meanwhile, there are a few channels (mainly diginets) that DISH carries but DTV completely lacks: Cozi TV, Circle, Laff, Antenna TV, GetTV, etc.

Now, there may be the odd premium multiplex channel (e.g. Showtime Women) carried on DTV but not DISH. And maybe there's still a few channels that DTV has in HD but DISH only has in SD? Still though, I just don't see much difference in the overall channel availability between the two aside from the RSNs.

Dish does not carry a nationwide feed for Antenna TV as yet, no Decades, or METV+ either. But Dish does carry many diginets. They recently added Circle.

 

[NYDutch]

If they do not get the issue fixed, there will be no 5G, 6G or any. The aircraft takes priority.

As Navychop said, there's only a very small part of the 5G spectrums involved. 5G as a whole is in no danger.

 

[edisonprime]

Geez, I surely hope they don't merge. I don't like it when something's that much closer to a monopoly. But this isn't just closer to a monopoly, this actually WOULD BE a monopoly.

 

[TheKrell]

They recently added Circle.

I've been enjoying Farscape on Comet for the first time in many years. We just met Chiana. The satellite feed has a guide; my two OTA versions of Comet do not.

 

[Juan]

Sure would change local blackout negotiations. Would put satellite in a much stronger position.

Not really

 

[NYDutch]

Geez, I surely hope they don't merge. I don't like it when something's that much closer to a monopoly. But this isn't just closer to a monopoly, this actually WOULD BE a monopoly.

A merge would make it the only satellite service available, but certainly not the only TV service available except in those very few areas where either cable, OTA, or minimal streamable Internet (2-4 Mbps)are not available.

 

[NashGuy]

Dish does not carry a nationwide feed for Antenna TV as yet, no Decades, or METV+ either. But Dish does carry many diginets. They recently added Circle.

Ah, thanks for the correction. I misremembered and thought they had Antenna TV. But I knew that they had more diginets than I listed above. Comet is one of them, Buzzr is another.

 

[Tar Heel]

As somebody who has switched back and forth between DirecTV and Dish over the years, one plus for DirecTV is that it has much more 4K offerings. I assume a merger would help in that regard.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Ah, thanks for the correction. I misremembered and thought they had Antenna TV. But I knew that they had more diginets than I listed above. Comet is one of them, Buzzr is another.

And Metv too.

 

[edisonprime]

A merge would make it the only satellite service available, but certainly not the only TV service available except in those very few areas where either cable, OTA, or minimal streamable Internet (2-4 Mbps)are not available.

True, but although I'm not affected, some people live in very rural areas and can only get TV by satellite. And besides that, it would still be a monopoly being that it would be the only satellite provider.