What on earth is Dish thinking of ?

[FaxMan]

Motives/Priorities?

I wonder if they have been and/or will be intentionally avoiding adding more HD channels in order to keep the number of HD subscribers low so there will be less pain when the MPEG4 transition occurs.

The 'We don't have transponder space currently' doesn't really wash with me since they didn't have any less transponder space over a year ago when they were touting themselves as becoming the leader in HD.

It's simply a matter of priorities.

I can't tell them what their priorities should be, but at least they could be honest about what they truly are.

 

[waltinvt]

Which E* will replace with other highly profitable Foreign Language Subscribers. Plus E* is still in rapid growth mode. Bottom line effect? Minimal at most. I am an HD enthusiast and have considerable $'s invested but I have no misconceptions about the size of the current HD market. Look at V*, not only are they not thriving, they are a spectacular failure from a business point of view. V* was an idea simply ahead of it's time. My point is, as long as E* becomes competitive in the HD market by the end of 2005 they will not only be OK, but in a position to leapfrog D* with MPEG 4. As I said I'm not happy about the short term HD outlook at E* but to think, as some do, that this will be devastating to them ignores the real world facts and smacks of wishful thinking. IMHO.



NightRyder

So if between now and late '05 (earliest Dish will consider adding any new HD per their own words) Dish looses 75% or their HD customers plus does not gain the new ones coming into the arena this year, you don't think it will hurt them ?

You may be right, maybe that kind of churn won't hurt them, I don't know. It's just that with "D" getting all 4 nets in HD now and possibly major HD locals by Summer, I'm not sure what "E" would have to do to get these people back. Even if "E" somehow jumps way ahead of "D", I think customers that have made the switch will remember what happened this year and be pretty hesitant to go back. I know I would, especially given the track record of "E" for new receivers and the lies they've been caught in this year.
Walt

 

[NightRyder]

So if between now and late '05 (earliest Dish will consider adding any new HD per their own words) Dish looses 75% or their HD customers plus does not gain the new ones coming into the arena this year, you don't think it will hurt them ?

You may be right, maybe that kind of churn won't hurt them, I don't know. It's just that with "D" getting all 4 nets in HD now and possibly major HD locals by Summer, I'm not sure what "E" would have to do to get these people back. Even if "E" somehow jumps way ahead of "D", I think customers that have made the switch will remember what happened this year and be pretty hesitant to go back. I know I would, especially given the track record of "E" for new receivers and the lies they've been caught in this year.
Walt

I think the 75% number is way too high and many new subscribers, given the choice, will take a $5 a month HD receiver over having to shell out over $400 for a D* one. It may cause E* some pain but so has not having NFL-ST.

I think D* having the 4 HD networks up is great, but right now only those who live in a O&O area can qualify to receive them. I live in a genuine white area and they are not available to me at this time (called D* and asked). Also you have to consider the number of subscribers still under contract and those that have grandfathered programming or other services they would loose. If I jumped to D*, and I recently looked into it, I would loose my NY distants, Superstations, $1.99 equipment warranty, and $11.99 bundle price (locals, distants, supers) permanently. Even if returned to E* at some point I could never get them back! As far as D* goes, at some point they too are going to have to make the move to MPEG4. How much pain they might cause their subscribers remains to be seen, but is it something to consider.



NightRyder