Looks like It’s official Directv Buying Dish

[MikeD-C05]

BIG SATELLITEGUYS UPDATE.

It is my understanding that DISH had a conference call with many of their major dealers around the country yesterday. I understand there were about 100 dealers on that call.

I was offered an opportunity to listen in on the call but unfortunately was unable to as I had another meeting at my real job that I was in.

After the call was done a number of dealers who were on the call called me and gave me some of the details. What I am reporting here now is second hand, and like anytime someone tells you something the truth may be stretched. But since I heard many of the same things for more then one retailer, I think it is probably what was said.

They first announced that due to SEC and other laws there is a lot they CAN'T talk about, but would talk about what they could.

They then announced that for DISH it will be business as usual, and that no one should expect any changes for 2 to 3 years.

It was said that bankruptcy was never considered to be an option.

They said no matter if the merger is approved or not they got their money from the deal and will continue to push forward.

They said that DISH is in a better place then DIRECTV, their technology is better and unlike DIRECTV who's satellites are coming up on their last legs DISH has a healthy satellite fleet and TWO new satellites on order. (Note... Unless I missed something I only know of one satellite on order. But was told this TWO number for multiple retailers.) DISH could be around long after DIRECTV is gone.

Everyone said it was an upbeat call. Everyone on the call acted if the future is bright for DISH.

And it may just be.

I did ask one of the retailers if Charlie was on the call and I was told he was not.

Now knowing the past with Charlie (and now I am speaking ONLY on my behalf) and his past in possible mergers and buyouts, It would not surprise me in the least if this merger is not approved and then Charlie ultimately comes out of this owning both companies himself in the future.

He's a poker player, a very good poker player. Never count Charlie out.

I do believe with the cash influx that indeed DISH is in a good place.

Now lets hope they really start to work on Boost and make it a service that people WANT to switch to. T Mobile was the little guy then did some crazy things and are now one o the top growing cell providers. I think its time for DISH and Boost to get crazy. If this new 5G only network is as good as they said it is, then its time to prove it.

That would be just like Charlie , who plays the long game, and he comes back and buys up the whole TPG and then he has everything back. Then he gets his merger with Directv the way he wanted back in 2002. But he needs to make Boost a money making revenue producing company to do that and do it in the next couple of years. But there is still the fact that satellite TV is still dying. By the time he did that it would even have less subs than it does now. But it would be a slick way to get Directv after all these years. I always assumed that DISH would buy up Directv anyway.

 

[MikeD-C05]

No they are staying as DISH.

Both would continue to be operated separately until who knows when. But with no new satellites DIRECTV would be done before Dish.

How old are the Directv satellites? Average age of a satellite when they retire or replace it was like ten years , if I remember right. They could repoint the Directv dishes towards the DISH fleet of satellites if needed. Then they just need common channel numbers on both Directv and DISH so they can still use their own receivers.

 

[John2021]

No they are staying as DISH.

Both would continue to be operated separately until who knows when. But with no new satellites DIRECTV would be done before Dish.

And att was offering a free test drive a while back I dunno if they still are or not. Might be worth looking into.

 

[nelson61]

So, would DTV get rebranded Dish Network?

Like a big clothing retail conglomerate.
Probably will see different package names, prices, and purchase/rental terms depending on the "brand".
They will slice and dice the two major brands so as to appeal to a larger group of "niche" markets.

 

[Juan]

They use to eliminate a Title and create a new Title and pay them less

Not much of a union there

 

[CSM]

How old are the Directv satellites? Average age of a satellite when they retire or replace it was like ten years , if I remember right. They could repoint the Directv dishes towards the DISH fleet of satellites if needed. Then they just need common channel numbers on both Directv and DISH so they can still use their own receivers.

DirecTV satellite fleet - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Dish Network - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[mwdxer1]

A mixture.
Good: keeps DISH "alive".
Bad: Only one choice for satellite TV now. Streaming is nipping at their heels and likely to become even MORE competition by the time this closes (late 2025), so there's only a "monopoly" for those that don't have options other than satellite TV.

I have heard "Sling" will merge with Direct TV's streaming service. Sling & Dish are less expensive than what Direct offers, so expect an increase. Where "Free Sling" will go is anyone's guess.

 

[Yespage]

I have heard "Sling" will merge with Direct TV's streaming service. Sling & Dish are less expensive than what Direct offers, so expect an increase. Where "Free Sling" will go is anyone's guess.

In time, maybe, but right now, they effectively remain two different companies operating under different agreements with varying channel providers.

It would be unwise to hike the rates of Dish subs more than they already have at this point for the year.

 

[navychop]

They could repoint the Directv dishes towards the DISH fleet of satellites if needed. Then they just need common channel numbers on both Directv and DISH so they can still use their own receivers.

Signals are different. Not so easy.

 

[GuyWhoMoves]

Signals are different. Not so easy.

I have had to purchase different Satellite Receivers for our RV.

 

[CSM]

Then they just need common channel numbers on both Directv and DISH so they can still use their own receivers.

I don't know if Dish customers would like to memorize new channel numbers or vice versa.

 

[navychop]

Who uses channel numbers? Really? I just pick from the guide (My Favorites).

I couldn’t tell you what channel number the History Channel, etc, is/are on.

I doubt many people are pressing in channel numbers.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

So the DISH satellites and pops and uplinks all got sold to Directv who then sold their majority share to TPG right?

It appears they are not part of the deal, those are owned by Echostar.

 

[CSM]

Who uses channel numbers? Really? I just pick from the guide (My Favorites).

I couldn’t tell you what channel number the History Channel, etc, is/are on.

I doubt many people are pressing in channel numbers.

Older people who don't like streaming. Up until I replaced the box with the DTV APP, I was using channel numbers. History channel is on 269 on DTV. I am also probably one of the few people that watches network show premiers live.

 

[ekilgus]

It appears they are not part of the deal, those are owned by Echostar.

If Echostar still owns the DISH satellites and pops and uplinks and perhaps all the Hoppers and other equipment, what did Direct buy?

 

[nelson61]

Signals are different. Not so easy

Right.

Dish is KU .
Most of Directv is KA.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

It would be unwise to hike the rates of Dish subs more than they already have at this point for the year.

It would be over a year and probably clsoer to 2 years before the deal is closed. So I wouldn't expect any changes until then.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Signals are different. Not so easy.

Well then as the Directv satellites start to fail, the only option if the sub want to stay with satellite tv - would be to go with DISH receivers and their satellite slots.

 

[MikeD-C05]

It appears they are not part of the deal, those are owned by Echostar.

So Echostar is being paid to use the satellites by the new TPG company then ? TPG would be leasing their satellites for the DISH service right? Unless they are getting a percentage of the revenue monthly, for the use of the satellites.

 

[MikeD-C05]

If Echostar still owns the DISH satellites and pops and uplinks and perhaps all the Hoppers and other equipment, what did Direct buy?

Sounds like a lot of DISH's debt.

IF Echostar is still owning and running the satellites that used to part of DISH's service, then they are also the ones that uplink the channels for the DISH service and the local channels too.

If Echostar is also providing the receivers and I bet the lnbs, switches, sat dishes too. It sounds like the only thing that changed was the owner of the service on paper and who is running it at the ownership level TPG.

I take it that TPG is having to pay a monthly fee for Echostar service to provide the satellites, manage the channels video /audio quality and all the local channels too.

The more I think of it the less it sounds like a merger, since everything that makes it a service is still being provided by Echostar. Maybe this deal that Charlie and the guy who was in control at DIRECTV and ATT was to spin off all the debt they could to ATT and the deal with TPG was to keep DISH 's debt payment on time for November and to get DISH and ATT out of the day to day running of the satellite business. But it doesn't really sound like Echostar is out of the business at all. Without them there would be no business.

Maybe Scott is right and Charlie will come back in a year or two and reclaim the entire business from TPG once Boost is up and running well. After all it sounds like everything that makes the DISH side run, is still being owned and run by Echostar the original company that created DISH. Shouldn't be that hard for Charlie to swoop right back in and claim it all when he is ready. A merger he wanted in 2002 would finally be his.