Echostar to Bid for MVDDS Spectrum

[Scott Greczkowski]

It is being reported in todays Washington Telecom & Media Insider that Echostar's "South.COM" will bid in the January 14th auction for terrestrial use of the 12.2 - 12.7 GHz band.

South.COM is 49.9% owned by Echostar.

Echostar and DirecTV have been fighting the spectrum sharing MVDDS plan claiming it would interfere with their satellite signals.

Whats interesting about this to me is is Dish bidding on this to prevent the interference to its satellite signals or is Dish bidding on these frequencies as a solution to delievering Digital locals into all homes.

SOUTH.COM (the url) is currently held by DigiMedia.COM

BTW Northpoint is persuing legal action against the FCC because of it's decission to auction the licences.

DirecTV is NOT bidding.

 

[Alan Gordon]

Whats interesting about this to me is is Dish bidding on this to prevent the interference to its satellite signals or is Dish bidding on these frequencies as a solution to delievering Digital locals into all homes.

I don't exactly know what the MVDDS spectrum is, but does this mean that some people will have to upgrade to the SupercalifragilisticexpialidociousDISH?!



~Alan

 

[A_Noland]

During the 'NO new HD' CC the other night I sent an e-mail complaining about that. The responded with a short e-mail, in that e-mail was the following

and are also working on technology that will allow us to launch even more HD.

Maybe they will use this technology to free up satellite space for HD

 

[video62]

Whats interesting about this to me is is Dish bidding on this to prevent the interference to its satellite signals or is Dish bidding on these frequencies as a solution to delievering Digital locals into all homes.

I think it's both - a 'hedge'. They're not sure what they want to do, but buying it is probably a good thing that will give them protection for their signals and possbily a new delivery medium.

 

[dlsnyder]

Who better to introduce interference to DBS customers than a DBS service provider? Perhaps they can angle their signal so the only interference is to dishes pointed to 101 degrees west.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The interference theory has really never been proven. So I find Dish bidding for this space interesting.

The more I think about it the more I think that if they get it they will use it and will transfer locals to the MVDDS frequencies and free up spece on the satellites.

From what I understnad if they did this a snap on attachment would be used to pick up local channels. Also from what I understand the signals would be broadcast from existing cell towers.

Someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

[dlsnyder]

Yes, it seems like a logical way to provide local signals to DBS customers and conserve satellite-based bandwidth. If this is their intention though perhaps the broadcasters should chip in for it as they do with the various microwave and fiber links they currently supply to the cable MSOs.

 

[Tahoerob]

During the 'NO new HD' CC the other night I sent an e-mail complaining about that. The responded with a short e-mail, in that e-mail was the following

and are also working on technology that will allow us to launch even more HD.

Maybe they will use this technology to free up satellite space for HD

Check this link. This maybe some of the tech issue:
http://www.skyreport.com/viewskyreport.cfm?ReleaseID=1263#Story5

 

[Cyclone]

So let me get this straight. E* would take terrestrial digtial TV signals, reencode them for MVDDS and rexmit them terresterially?

Sounds like they are a solution looking for a problem. Digital broadcasters should be the one making sure their signals are reachable by their markets.

Oh, and for all of you who think that E* will be making sure that MVDDS gets out to your rural folks first? Just look as the DMA roll out to see where their priorties have been in the past.

 

[dlsnyder]

Thank-you!

 

[rtt2]

States would have the athority to tax and impose franchise fees. This would suck.

 

[Stargazer]

I figured Dish would be interested in the NorthPoint technology and would want to bid for it. This may be the solution they need to keep all of HD at 110 and expanding local markets at the same time. If each time they could free up a local market to create 1 or 2 HD channels then this could add up to be a lot of HD channels to be available. The spot beams are being used though for a lot of the locals which means spotbeams would not be useful for broadcasting nationwide.

 

[dlsnyder]

I just don't see any DBS provider doing HDTV locals with current technology. The best strategy is the one V* is pursuing - making use of the OTA digital locals. Granted they are not going to be available everywhere. It really should be the responsibility of the broadcasters to make sure that an adequate signal is available to their viewing audience. If they want their programming to be seen in all parts of their viewing area they need to do whatever it takes to get that signal out there. Broadcasters have gotten a free ride from cable, and more recently DBS, for too long when it comes to distribution. Broadcasters are, after all, in the business of broadcasting aren't they? When I told the chief engineer at KCBS that I was having trouble receiving their signal clearly at my home he recommended that I get cable. Broadcasters need to wake up to the fact that their industry is based on a rapidly decaying business model. They need to treat viewers like customers if they want to stay in business and remain relevant.

 

[Stargazer]

I agree with you dlsnyder. The networks need to do their part by contributing in a way that allows signals to be reached by more people, but seeing how they are in it for the money, and that it is their choice of how far they want to go with it, there is not much one can do, unless the government would require them to make a reachable signal to all viewers within their DMA or if the locals come out with a subscription service and a better or stronger signal to pick those signals up.

 

[Chris Freeland]

I too agree with dlsnyder, however I do not give V* much chance to survive beyond a year or two, I do belive they are on the right track with bundling an ota antenna with their systems. E* and D* need to do a better job of educating the general public of the benefits of ota for Free HDTV locals and provide some bundling deals with the instillation of a quality antenna for those who need this. In the long run if E* can aquire these terrestrial DBS frequencies, this may be a good solution to having both HDTV locals for those who can not receive them with an ota antenna and also a way to offer bundled broadband to their tv subs. Using terrestrial DBS may be a better broadband solution then KA band satellite, without the latency problems and this would also alow bundling deals like cable has without depending on deals with the telephone companys for DSL.

 

[red hazard]

MVDDS Use by Echostar

Scott, et al,

You can bet your bottom dollar that E*, if the auction winner, will use MVDDS for local HDTV and other services. The RFI complaints from the DBS providers was based on preventing additional competition from another type of service provider. MVDDS will use directional antennas and beam signals in a southern direction to avoid RFI with DBS services.
(The RF enery would "hit" the back of the DBS dishes and not be visible to the LNBs). Also if there were RFI issues, it's highly doubful E* would go it alone to buy that spectrum use when Voom and D* would also benefit for no cost.

Cellular phone towers might be used but water towers, microwave towers or anything high will work. I doubt cellular phone towers would be exclusively used since they are not ubiquitous in rural areas. MVDDS would give E* the added capacity in any one service area roughly equal to one additional satellite since the antennas must be northerly from the targeted service area. There would be installation opportunities.

Bob

 

[Stargazer]

Dont forget about the company that wants to launch balloons for cell phone, broadband, and television service. There are different options that are going to become available that was not available before.

I also bet Dish would use MVDDS to broadcast locals, perhaps in HD if there is enough room, that would solve a lot of problems for them, while the space would open up on their core slots at 110 and 119 to possibly launch the most popular channels in HD, seeing how they would save enough space not using some of that space for locals anymore using MVDDS instead for it.

 

[dlsnyder]

Re: MVDDS Use by Echostar

Scott, et al,

Cellular phone towers might be used but water towers, microwave towers or anything high will work. I doubt cellular phone towers would be exclusively used since they are not ubiquitous in rural areas. MVDDS would give E* the added capacity in any one service area roughly equal to one additional satellite since the antennas must be northerly from the targeted service area. There would be installation opportunities.

Bob

Those same structures, especially water towers, would also reflect those MVDDS signals back into your dish. Also those in the Los Angeles area, for example, might have a problem with MVDDS signals beamed into San Bernardino. If you have a dish aimed at 61.5 in the LA area it is pointed more east than south, and almost at the horizon.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Here is an interesting article.

http://www.mediareform.net/news.php?id=1980

 

[dlsnyder]

One question that comes to mind with this. How are the rules written that allow Comcast to keep sports programming in certain markets to themselves? If E* were to make use of MVDDS, a terrestrial distribution method, would they be able to circumvent that rule and qualify to be offered that programming? If that is the case Philadelphia may be the first market to get a MVDDS system.