SkyAngel Plans Move to IPTV

[elder]

It does seem that the SA mission has eroded somewhat from the previous vision of using satellites . . .

". . . as the most effective means of assuring that the Gospel will penetrate every nation, culture and people---Even the most unreachable regions of the world."

Compare that statement to this current one,

" According to a recent study by Zogby Survey, 53 percent of Internet users would replace their cable and satellite television connections with broadband TV if they could keep the same channel lineup. IPTV provides viewers value-added services and conveniences such as the ability to set up their own equipment, to retrieve programs that have already aired, much like a personal video recorder, and to utilize Video on Demand – all of which are the key benefits of an IPTV service. "

The emphasis seems to be more related to how many people will hang in there if SA makes the shift as opposed to reaching the world.

I recall when the gov decided the US should move to UHF and required every new TV set to have a UHF tuner which was little more than a noise generator as the lawmakers had no concept of gain over temperature (G/T). As a result I had TVs for a number of years with useless UHF tuners as I didn't live in a metropolitan area. Appalachia is in some ways like the more unreachable parts of the world. The cable just doesn't reach into each and every side-road or "hollar" and it is very unlikely that fiber ever will. As the spin-doctor enemy of conservatives might say "it's the economy, stupid!" So the bottom line becomes is it more important to reach the unreachable points of the globe or merely profit from the demographics of the reachable? Apparently we are witnessing the answer.

 

[catkoko]

so that also means that 47% of INTERNET users would NOT switch! also doesn't take into account that in some areas 50% of HOUSEHOLDS do NOT even have internet access at all! Here in KY over 200,000 do not even own a computer, nevermind have internet!

Today, approximately 215,000 Kentucky children live in homes without computers. No Child Left Offline is designed to help those families, providing access to technology where there is the greatest need. For many families, owning a computer is the first step to reaching the world of opportunities available through the Internet.

Of those who have internet many do not meet the speed necessary for sky angel!
Q: What do you think about the FCC definition of broadband?

A: This project uses the FCC's definition, which is 256 Kbps. Everybody knows we're moving way beyond that, but in some cases we have to walk before we run. I get e-mails from constituents throughout the state saying, I'm sitting here dying with 16K dial-up -- anything would be better than that. Our intention is to get broadband in some form out there, knowing that technology upgrades will increase that bandwidth as time goes on.

of course the remote areas with little to no broadband access also view guess what? SATELLITE TV as there is no cable!

 

[daybj]

Okay, so here's the question I have. If SA is going the IPTV route, then do they still need an uplink center? If not, why did they recently make the move to Cleveland, TN? If the uplink center is not needed for IPTV, then why would SA invest time and money in moving to Cleveland only to abandon it down the road?

 

[jholland]

Could it be because they are as confused as we are about what to do and, hence, are changing their plan every three weeks?

 

[Pepper]

Tennessee is a pretty stupid place to put an uplink center. It rains a bit there.

 

[Mr Tony]

and Florida is any better??

 

[Pepper]

not hardly.

the one they are/were using (Dish) is in the ideal location

i guess though if the uplink dish and transmitter are big enough it doesn't really matter.

 

[elder]

and Florida is any better??

When NASA was planning the Ka/Ku band rain-fade studies two locations in the southeast were considered, Naples, FL and Rosman, NC. Rosman was selected because NASA already had an installation there and rainfall was 80 inches per year. The location was chosen to experience rain-fade!

 

[mattb]

I think one of skyangels concerns with an uplink in Naples would be hurricanes... one womp from a hurricane and if they had been uplinking to E* all skyangel would disaepear..

 

[catkoko]

Sky Angel Press release from June 2002:

June 1, 2002
Because the Lord has established SKY ANGEL, Christian religious broadcasters will always have a satellite communications platform just for their programming that virtually any home, business, church, or school in the U.S. can access with just a small 18-inch satellite dish.

So who changed their mind here ? the Lord or Sky Angel? since the Lord doesn't change his mind is it Sky Angel who is no longer following him? Notice the parts I highlighted...........

I know things happen, change even but Sky Angel has strayed so far from their original goal it is sad. when I think of Ecclesiastes I realize that maybe the season for sky Angel may be past or at least passing.

To Every Thing There is a Season
Ecclesiastes 3
To everything there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones,
and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8​

 

[ShaneLinder]

I think they just made a number of bad business decisions that have caught up with them. I wouldn't want to guess at their motives. I will give them the benefit of the doubt and say their motives were good but their business skills were poor.

I first heard about Sky Angel when I open up my denomination's principle magazine and in the centerfold was an article written by our denomination's president about Sky Angel encouraging our members to purchase the system. I am quite sure that thousands of Adventists purchased the the system after reading that article.

The lifetime memberships were bad ideas. These were only necessary in order to entice people to subscribe and there are better ways to do that. Sky Angel should have partnered with outlets that sell DISH equipment like Radio Shack and Sears to post in store promotions. They should have gotten denominational leaders of other denominations on board. They should have been advertising in denominational papers. I don't know what the big magazines like Christianity Today and CCM charge for advertising but many denominational papers are very cheap to advertisie in.

After building a profitable customer base, not one of lifetime members, they could have gotten financing to build their $150 million satellite. However due to mistakes in marketing and lack of it, they were never able to build a big enough customer base to be able to show a business model that would merit the financing required to buy their own satellite.

 

[catkoko]

SDA and IPTV?

will the SDA channels even follow SA to IPTV? they seem to be advertising for Glorystar already

Whatever SA problem is, poor business management, lack of funds etc it is NO excuse to treat the lifetime members the way they are

THIS "OOPS" we shut off all your channels is petty if not incompetent as well!

 

[jegrant]

As it was mentioned earlier in this thread, 3ABN is associated with an IPTV system that will carry lots of Adventist programming. But I see no reason why they wouldn't continue to be on SA-IPTV as well, along with SafeTV. It is another platform to spread their message.

If anything, I think Sky Angel at least showed the potential of an independent Christian TV system. And this has encouraged others to get into the business as well. So ultimately they did serve some purpose to further the gospel. And I personally feel it was all worth it if it made a difference in one person's life. And I know it did that, multiple times over.

 

[smokey982]

Okay, so here's the question I have. If SA is going the IPTV route, then do they still need an uplink center? If not, why did they recently make the move to Cleveland, TN? If the uplink center is not needed for IPTV, then why would SA invest time and money in moving to Cleveland only to abandon it down the road?

I live in Cleveland, TN and it looks like Sky Angel has definitely spent a lot of money on the move. They have purchased a 5 or 6 acre field and have installed 10 or so big dishes (I'm not sure exactly how all of that works). It looks like the dish installs are complete but I'm not sure if they are active yet.

 

[bonscott87]

Could actually be a *downlink* center. They have to get the stations they broadcast from somewhere and most would be via C or KU band. Then they broadcast them out on their service.

 

[Bev]

I wish many Christians could see the quality programs that are on the channels you mentioned. Most of them offer sound Biblical teaching like Word Pictures & Quick Study or movies and drama's like My Heart Christ's Home or healthy living programs and some general entertainment programs.

I like Quick Study, they have a good, solid teaching format. And my day isn't complete if I don't hear the Bible IQ question! Word Pictures has outstanding format and production quality, but for me it is way too pushy with Calvinist theology. Every once in a while they'll have a show that is relatively TULIP-free, but for the most part the shows are much too heavy on the Calvinism for my non-Calvinist taste.

I too have had trouble getting fellow Christians interested in Sky Angel for the very same reason. Too many false teachers wanting lots of donations with too little of the money going to the causes they say they are helping.

When we first got Sky Angel, I was talking it up; however, after I had it for several months, I found myself admitting that I couldn't really recommend it because of all the false teaching. The Word-Faith TBN types were way too prevalent (IMO).

 

[mattb]

I live in Cleveland, TN and it looks like Sky Angel has definitely spent a lot of money on the move. They have purchased a 5 or 6 acre field and have installed 10 or so big dishes (I'm not sure exactly how all of that works). It looks like the dish installs are complete but I'm not sure if they are active yet.

After E* and SA part ways they still have to receive the programming some how to convert it to IPTV format. I would assume that they will use their new facility in Cleveland TN to do this since they will no longer have access to E*'s downlink facilities that they presently use.

 

[NYRman1975]

And I remember them sepcifically saying that was to be an "uplink" center. Talk about anti-christian, deceitfulness and lies. I was a little sorry that I was losing Skyangel satellite and thus, having to move on to Glorystar, now I am glad God opened my eyes to their true intentions.

To lie and cause harm to fellow brothers and sisters (through takign channels, cancelling lifetime and 10-year memberships, etc.) is inheritantly wrong. What else have they lied to their customers about?

I see no reason or purpose for any Christian to support their apparently false ministry.

Ok, rant over. So how is everyone?

 

[andrews777]

Maybe it was expected to be an uplink center? They wouldn't be the first business with a "change of plans" along the way. I know of many wasted dollars in business on things that ended up being worthless because of a change in direction. An uplink center also might be usable as a downlink center, especially if you have to download, reformat and then upload the signal.

Brad

 

[NYRman1975]

I might have been inclined to accept that if there wasn't so many smoke and mirror tactics that have already taken place. Normally, it could be passed off as coincidence and "re-strategizing" of business techniques. But there is just too much that has gone on to pass it off this time.

Perhaps if Skyangel would have just come out from square one and said "Hey, we are in trouble and we need to take a different approach, and we need your understanding and help to do it..." I might not be so sour. But to this day they still have not had a mass press release of their intentions so those who do not have access to, or even heard of, Satelliteguys can know what is coming. They continue to leave people in the dark and continue to make their changes and plans in total secrecy.

Business has an obligation to inform their customers of drastic changes in service, especially one who stands behind a veil of "Christian values". If you are going to say you are a Christian anything, then walk the walk.

Skyangel needs to come up front with what their plan is to everyone affected. How hard is it to send out a mailer or even put it on their "Inside Skyangel" program?

I say enough of the cloak and dagger garbage. Of course that is my opinion and I speak for no one but myself, but I am sure others agree.