Food For Thought...

[JoeSp]

The idea of Dish and Voom sounds almost too good to be true but there could be another reason. Since the FCC has ordered E* to provide locals with one dish then moving HD back to the wings would make sense. There is no order to provide one dish solutions for HD is there? With this in mind-- a union between E* and V* would then become a closer reality as the eastern sats are very close and if Voom was to swap out the 8000 plus receivers with an 811 and use the new Qspk technology allowing 3 HD channels per transponder on both coasts this would increase Voom's reach and make E* customers very happy! I believe that there would be enought room on both the 148 and 61.5 sats?

 

[GaryPen]

Not up on the exact law, but THey get a right to rebroadcast the programming. If they entered into a merger with another company they become one in the same. Wouldn't that give them the right to broadcast it there as well.

If it were an actual acquisition or merger, probably. However, if this rumor were to bear fruit, it seems to be a businees alliance, partnership, joint venture, etc. As such, Dish would need most likely need permission of Voom's content providers to rebroadcast across the Dish Network.

But, hey! Even only the "Voom HD Originals" would make a nice adjunct to the HD Pack for now, especially if it stays at $10/mo!!!

 

[Juan]

Why cant they form a E*/sky angle type alliance? seperate companies/seperate billing same satellite?

 

[lonewolfe]

If it were an actual acquisition or merger, probably. However, if this rumor were to bear fruit, it seems to be a businees alliance, partnership, joint venture, etc. As such, Dish would need most likely need permission of Voom's content providers to rebroadcast across the Dish Network.

Which are readily available now. Dish could have them if they wanted them. This is why a merger doesn't make since to me other than the bandwith issue.

But, hey! Even only the "Voom HD Originals" would make a nice adjunct to the HD Pack for now, especially if it stays at $10/mo!!!

The voom originals would be nice. I doubt the package price would stay the same. It's to much of an opportunity to make a little extra cash. Now this would make since to me for a merger. Dish could use the exclusive channels (that would not be so exclusive anymore) to help in added a customer base. Especially with the announcement DTV made about adding HD.

I still stand behind my opinion that if it were to happen we are still looking at a long time frame before those channels woudl be available for viewing.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I doubt we would see the VOOM Exclusive channels.

However I believe the sharing of channels such as Cinemax HD is possible, I am sure both companies would need seperate carrage agreements, but I don't see a problem is they both get their signal from 61.5 (ie the same satellite)

Again I think the FCC would applaud such a move.

 

[lonewolfe]

I doubt we would see the VOOM Exclusive channels.

However I believe the sharing of channels such as Cinemax HD is possible, I am sure both companies would need seperate carrage agreements, but I don't see a problem is they both get their signal from 61.5 (ie the same satellite)

Again I think the FCC would applaud such a move.

I have know way of knowing, but do they have the capacity to put the non Voom exclusives on 61.5 and 148? If so why enter into a merger if they would have to get seperate carrage agreements. If they have the capacity Cinemax, Bravo, Tnt, etc. is there for them to pick up themselves. I don't see it being any difference in the agreement one way or another.

 

[dlsnyder]

As I recall when Rainbow DBS was first putting together its business plan they were proposing to do locals in several major markets across the US with spotbeams. Does the Rainbow 1 satellite have spotbeams? If so would it be possible for E* to lease out spotbeam capacity on 61.5 and jointly provide HD locals in selected markets? Perhaps this is a way for both providers to maximize use of those spotbeam transponders since between them they would have three uplink centers. Add a spotbeam capable satellite at 148 to the mix and they could offer HD locals to most of the US if they worked together.