While Hawaii and DirecTV work out their differences concerning what the state terms as lackluster satellite TV service to its islands, folks in Alaska say they're still getting a cold reception from the company about their service.
The team at Microcom, the Anchorage-based retailer of satellite services, has been actively pursuing Alaska/Hawaii service issues at the Federal Communications Commission for some time. Microcom's Tom Brady says the company isn't happy with the FCC process so far, as well as with DirecTV.
"They basically blew us off," Brady says. "They called our claim vague and unsupported - kind of like their service up here."
He adds, "If the largest satellite TV provider has less than 1 percent of a state's satellite television market, I would say they aren't providing service and they don't seem to care."
Earlier this year, the FCC took concerns about DirecTV's perceived lackluster service in Hawaii and Alaska and made it a live proceeding. For the half-year the Alaska/Hawaii issue has been at the commission, a lot of attention has been focused on Hawaii.
As for that spotlight on Hawaii, Brady says, "The State of Alaska's Washington, D.C., office called the Hawaii legal team a bunch of cowboys. Frankly the cowboys are winning."
In response, DirecTV officials point out that all of the company's programming is available in Alaska. The signal strength varies between satellites and locations in Alaska and in some areas a larger dish is required. Recommended dish size varies from 1.2 meters to more than 3 meters, they say.
EchoStar's DISH Network also delivers service to Alaska. The package includes locals for Anchorage.
And so the battle goes on, proving just one thing: Folks everywhere really want their satellite service .. and they prefer to receive it with the much-publicized pizza pie dish.
