Three Angels on Verizon Fios & Comments on SkyAngel

[andrews777]

It is not strictly SkyAngel, but I think it is relevant since 3ABN is no longer on SkyAngel.

I was researching to try and find when Verizon Fios was coming to my house (they are supposed to be laying the fiber for my neighborhood, Garland, Texas, now) and I noticed that they said they added "Three Angels" in August to their TV lineup.

This kind of shows me that SkyAngel needs to reach a deal to have its channels on Dish, and to then focus on some other things that are more important. Perhaps they could also make a similar deal with DirectTV. Of course the channels themselves could make such offers if they were released.

I think the idea was great, but with Internet delivery overtaking things I am not sure their model is viable. (Though I have said that before.) Can they really make it as a 3rd satellite provider?

Brad

 

[ShaneLinder]

They need to somehow get the money together and get their own bird, break free of Echostar, have more channels and market themselves as a sole provider.

 

[andrews777]

They need to somehow get the money together and get their own bird, break free of Echostar, have more channels and market themselves as a sole provider.

What would they use for receivers, dishes, LNBs, etc.? Statellite is more than just the thing in space.

Brad

 

[ShaneLinder]

I know they are working on getting their own bird. I assume they have those details figured out already.

 

[andrews777]

I know they are working on getting their own bird. I assume they have those details figured out already.

Perhaps, but that is an even more complicated issue than just launching a single satellite. And what do they use as backup if they launch a single satellite?

Brad

 

[ShaneLinder]

Do they have a backup now? Seems like Echostar III is dying and if there is a back up shouldn't the lost channels be restored?

 

[Mr Tony]

Technically there is a backup there at 61.5 ...Rainbow 1
but Dish is using it for programming (mainly HD)

 

[andrews777]

Technically there is a backup there at 61.5 ...Rainbow 1
but Dish is using it for programming (mainly HD)

Which is why they really need 2 satellites if they go out on their own. (Plus a huge support network for receivers, etc.)

Brad

 

[Mr Tony]

exactly. Sky Angel just needed something to get up and running. they had the satellite space but no way to uplink it and no receivers so they signed the agreement with Dish to provide the uplink and the receivers.

So they would need to do a lot before going on its own (need to get the new satellite up, need to get the uplink working, need to get its own recevers and if it changes off what they are using now, they need to swap everyone out)

 

[andrews777]

That makes me wonder if it will ever happen. They have almost certainly spent the entire amount of all lifetime subs, and they still have some large bills coming. Does anyone have any ideas on how profitable they are currently? Do they have enough cash flow to do these things?

Which receivers could they use? Engineering their own from scratch is not likely, though I would be interested to know if anyone knows about possibilities there.

Brad

 

[Mr Tony]

honestly they could still use DIsh boxes, just buy a bunch and remarket them as their own. Bell ExpressVu in Canada does the same thing

The 9200 box is a Dish 942
The 6100 is a Dish 811
I had a 3100 ExpressVu box and it was a Dish 301 with a ExpressVu logo and ExpressVu software in it. Sky Angel could use the same type of encryption (nagravision) and buy wholesale a bunch of Dish boxes and slap a Sky Angel logo on them and maybe put their own software in it.

But if SA goes its own separate way, then people who have both Dish & SA may get the shaft since they would need 2 boxes. If they went their separate ways, Dish would block 9700-9800 out of their boxes or reuse it for their own channels. Then SA would need to basically start fro scratch. Right now they have a semi-decent thing going. They do need another transponder but with the agreement they have and a dying satellite (echo 3), right now they are just along for the ride.