Time to give Charlie some props

[TomD]

I've been a regular reader of this board for the past 3 years, and Charlie Ergen takes a hell of a beating here sometimes. Some of it has been deserved and there have been some promises not met (NBR on my 510 as one example).

However, you can't argue with the direction Charlie is taking the company now. Rather than making a bold proclamation on local HD, he made the investment in national HD (I think Voom was coup on his part).

E* has produced what I think is a top quality box (622) based on MPEG 4. They've got new birds going up in December that will give E* a tremendous strategic and technological advantage over D*, by being able to mirror the service using MPEG 4.

E* continues to grow subs at a higher actual and percentage count than D*, they are turning a profit on a regular basis, and seemed poised for continued strong growth. They actually seem to have a good strategic plan, and some direction.

They seem to have become a technology leader once again, and they are the ones with the innovative features.

Frankly, to me, D* looks like the E* of old. Empty promises ("100 HD channels"), inferior technology, and lack of real direction.

How things have changed.....

 

[Poke]

WOW! You could have not said it any better than that and I totally agree!

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I agree - the 622 is an excellent receiver (sure it has its problems with new software), but it provides me with almost everything I could ask for (ok, I'm still waiting on external HDD support )

Where Dish falls short of DirecTV is in sports programming; but since I wouldn't subscribe to MLB or NFl Ticket, its a non-issue, I am still pretty happy with programming. Indeed, most of the channels I want in HD don't even exist yet!

AND the addition of Cinemax has been a great supplement to my movie options. (AND NO, I'm not talking about the late night soft-porn stuff).

 

[mike1973]

Having both services now since my roomate has DTV with an HR20-100 and I have the 622, I have to totally agree, the 622 blows away the HR20 in just about every way!

 

[DishSubLA]

Charlie (with all his faults, as we all have faults) deserves great praise as a CEO for having taken Dish to where it is today. Consider Echostar's very humble beginnings, and all the satellite competition he faced from MCI, USSB, PrimeStar, et al., who were all much larger corporations, to outwit and outlast them all to be the only DBS company to give US originator Direct TV (the old Hughes corporation was so much bigger than Echostar back then) some competition.

Then Charlie creates the satellite TV revolution by doing what Direct TV never believed could be done: steal customers away from cable. Ergan's campaign to do everything well that cable does poorly while managing to give away equipment (at first a rebate) to achieve undreamed of growth. Dish was (and still may be) the fastest growing pay TV service for years, and it took Direct TV YEARS to match Dish give aways. Dish could afford to give away equipment; Direct could not afford to do so at that time.

It was Ergan who pushed through the law that allows Local into Local, citing the lack of local stations on satellite as the number 1 reason people won't switch from cable to satellite. At first, Direct TV, was unenthusiastic about LIL. Then near the end, cheered on Echostar for Congress to pass legislation.

Just look at the mound and mounds of money Direct TV spends on those celebrity (that piles on even more $$$$ expenses) TV commercials alone (forget about the cost of airing them) as part of their massive advertising budget, while little Echostar's advertising budget barley affords a man with a sandwich board, and Dish still continues, for several quarters, to add more net subscribers than Direct, and Direct numbers are a disappointing second.

If Ergan had the $$$ he would love to have MLB Extra Innings (and even the NFL Sunday Ticket) just to remain competitive, and not give a sub a reason to leave Dish. But he doesn't have the $$$ to do that and make the investment for the future. So, perhaps unlike CEO's , he wisely admits they simply can't afford it (meaning he won't take on debt just for those pricey sports things alone) and instead takes that $$$ and focuses on HD and MPEG 4 and new boxes and technology and upgrades and just about anything else that makes more financial sense for Dish Network.

The are so many moves Ergan made over the years that were all sheer coups that demonstrate how he knows better how to run a pay-tv business better than anyone (even the vaunted Rupert Murdoch has said that Ergan is the best and how he really would have preferred Ergan to run his newly acquired Direct TV, but " . . . that really isn't possible now, is it?") that they are too numerous to mention. He has made his mistakes and lost his share of money (nearly a quarter billion lost with his Starband investment that just went nowhere).

Still he really is someone who has shaped the DBS business. Without him it wouldn't be what it is today. After all, in the beginning, everyone in the press seemed to call him ''crazy" for starting up a DBS company because Direct was somehow so much superior (and richer). They predicted that Dish Network wouldn't last a year. Nobody knew Ergan well at the time.

When the day comes for Dish to go to the next level, we should hope that Ergan will still be in charge. So many of the things he has done would never have been approved by the large conglomerates.

Nobody, and I mean nobody--not even Charles Ergen himself, ever dreamed that DBS would be the force that it is today. That tiny Dish network would grow from providing 40 channels to well over 2000 channels. Who really believed back in 1996 that Dish would have over 13 million subs as it continues to close in on Direct TV's current label as the "largest" DBS provider. NO ONE. And it really was all Charlie Ergan.

 

[KE4EST]

Very well put Tom.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I agree. All Ive seen on "that other sat site" since these announcements were made is negative posts by people who obviously always think the sky is falling.

As someone who has had Comcast and D* in the past 12 mo's, I am very happy with E*'s 250 package and their HD Channels. I am also happy they are adding up to 6 more by years end. I'm also very happy they are putting two sats up at years end. And last but not least, I'm also very happy with the 622. The HR20 is an awesome DVR when it works, but I was on my 4th one in 5 mo's, not a very good average.

Things are looking even better for HD in early 2008.

 

[rjruby]

Where Dish falls short of DirecTV is in sports programming.

I agree and where DirecTV falls short of Dish is in international programming which is important to my family.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I agree and where DirecTV falls short of Dish is in international programming which is important to my family.

I also think E* has a better overall price for what you get, BUT that is justcomparing my two services. Someone requiring diff channels might get a better price with D*.

 

[Dish-Direc]

I dont agree with much said here. Dish is a second rate service with second rate security and second rate customer service.

 

[Pakbackr]

I had D* for almost 10 years before becoming one of the 310,000 net new subscribers to E* in Q1 of this year. Having had both services, I receive all the promo materials and can see how each is jockeying in this game. If you step back out of the game and look at what's going on, its all quite interesting.

No question that E* has a current clear advantage in actual HD content. D* was taking great heat for this and losing customers right and left...so what do they do? They play the "we will have the capacity for 100+ HD channels soon" card. Brilliant move, as this probably kept a significant % of their customers from making the switch. I was one of those D* customers ready to make the switch, but I held off after they started promoting the new HD channels.

But E* counters with the free 622 offer in Feb. Again, a brilliant move. I had done my research and knew the 622 was a superior product to D*'s troubled HD DVR. This was just what would make me reconsider making the switch. I ultimately decided I wanted my HD channels now, rather waiting on D*'s promises, so I made the switch and have never regretted it.

I do, however, think that it will become more of a challenge to entice customers to come to E*'s 32 HD lineup as the year progresses, if and when D* starts actually bringing up new HD channels. It was obviously going to take a bold move like the recent sat launch announcement to trump D*'s eventual 100+ HD channels.

Its a cat and mouse game. But one thing I really like about E* is that, with little hype and fanfair, new HD channels get added on a pretty regular basis. I was thrilled to see NG, then A&E, and recently Cinemax HD get added. Our content just keeps getting better. Again, glad I made the switch to E*!

 

[gadgtfreek]

I dont agree with much said here. Dish is a second rate service with second rate security and second rate customer service.

Well, problem with posts like this is everyone has their own opinion due to personal reasons.

I've had Comcast-good customer service for me, good HD PQ. Left because the dvr sucked and the lack of HD channels. I've read where many say Comcast's Cust Serv sucks.

Directv-I feel their service is not better or worse than E*. That includes SD and HD PQ. The 622 and HR20 both have pros and cons, Id combine them if I could to make one awesome dvr. Truthfully, I left D* because of 4 HR20s(2 in 10 days) in 5mo's of service. The last one took 8 days for them to replace. I was paying for the repair plan and went without service for 8 days because they wont allow their techs to take an HR20 off the truck. They had did nothing for me, no discount offers, nothing. I was almost willing to let it slide but their attitude did not impress me. So, I paid the penalty and canceled the account. Best way to protest is with a checkbook. They lost a $90 per month customer who WAS happy because they did not care, I didnt even get a "sorry" from the CSR, all I got was reminded of the $400 fee id get charged if I did not send the broken dvr back within a week of receiving the 4th one.

Once again, this is my experience, and E* may screw me too. All I know is last time I had them(14 mo's 2004-2005) I was very happy, only reason I went with D* after I moved was my father in laws praises.

BTW, why did you even post that in a thread about praising Charlie, mothers day slow and you needed to troll a bit?

 

[foghorn2]

I dont agree with much said here. Dish is a second rate service with second rate security and second rate customer service.

Dish is first rate to me , and many are startng to agree. D* is dead xcept for sports fans.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Dish is first rate to me , and many are startng to agree. D* is dead xcept for sports fans.

I've said all I am gonna say regarding my opinion, but something is definitely up when E* has very little advertising but has added more net subs per qtr than D* the last 15 mo's.

 

[Kru83]

here is quick question is E$$ ever gone upgrade the security so these FTA hack wont get free TV.

 

[gadgtfreek]

here is quick question is E$$ ever gone upgrade the security so these FTA hack wont get free TV.

Ive seen the security complaints, what is exactly the info behind this? What are people doing?

 

[Kru83]

Ive seen the security complaints, what is exactly the info behind this? What are people doing?

i been to some jobs, where people take the FTA reciever like coolsat, and modified the files. so they can watch dish channels for free..

 

[gadgtfreek]

i been to some jobs, where people take the FTA reciever like coolsat, and modified the files. so they can watch dish channels for free..

Damn. Does D* have sec issues or is it just E*. I remember back in the day when everyone I knew had a hacked D* card, but I was under the impression that was mostly gone.

I can say I pretty much disagree with theft of this kind, its lost money that could be improving the service for us who pay.

 

[Kru83]

Damn. Does D* have sec issues or is it just E*. I remember back in the day when everyone I knew had a hacked D* card, but I was under the impression that was mostly gone.

I can say I pretty much disagree with theft of this kind, its lost money that could be improving the service for us who pay.

well u can't hack DTV. E* is walk in park. i hate it cause i pay for it and these other morons gets it for free.

 

[Dish-Direc]

We cant talk about it here. IT is the reason why I smurk at all and any announcements, because Dish is a true loser. Retailer sales are CRAWLING because of this, chargebacks, and cancellations are increasing because of this, and the money is being spent on improving on what crooks are seeing free, instead of closing it down. This MPEG-4 announcement is before its time, and only a knee jerk reaction to DTV improving its HD content. We will wait and wait and wait. They need to cash the security bond with Kudelski and fire them.