Supporting DBSTalk.com and SatelliteGuys.US
Supporting DBSTalk.com and SatelliteGuys.US
Dish Network owns or leases capacity on 14 satellites (12/08). Many of those satellites have provided service from more than one slot, as shown in the History of Dish satellites' positions graph.
Updates:
Carries international channels and HDTV. Requires separate dish or Eastern Arc dish, reception difficult or impossible in a few west coast spots.
What programming is at 61.5W?
Dish Channel Chart 61.5° subset
Dish Network Coverage from 61.5° (jameslong.name site)
EchoStar has entered into an agreement to lease 16 transponders from Bell ExpressVu (source)
Dish Channel Chart 72.7° subset
Will be used to broadcast into Mexico. The FCC is reviewing an application to also use it in the US.
Dish Channel Chart 77° subset
Dish will lease capacity to Sprint Nextel for their Emergency Response Team (ERT) and Engineering Sales Support (ESS) programs (source). Also used for the ViP-TV by EchoStar all-MPEG4 delivery to MDU systems. Other programming is yet to be announced.
The FCC has authorized Dish to build, but not yet launch, a new DBS satellite for this “tweener” slot. May carry HDTV, international, and LIL. (source)
The last channels which were a test channel and the EPG were shut down 6/24/08. Was initially expected to carry HDTV channels but that plan was scrapped when it was discovered AMC-2 (in service 10/14/03 - 7/2/05) didn't quite have a full CONUS footprint.
Not receivable by the 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, JVC-IRR, DISHPlayer 7100/7200.
Dish Channel Chart 105° subset
EchoStar has leased the full capacity of this DBS tweener slot from SES pending FCC approval. Unknown if this will be for residential or commercial use. No satellite has been named but was originally to have been AMC-14.
Dish has an approved application to build an Extended Ku-Band satellite (12-12-05). See the application at http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/servlet/ib.page.FetchAttachment?attachment_key=473205 (requires Acrobat Reader).
Carries the video channels of AT250, extra premium channels, locals, HDTV. Viewable with Dish500. EchoStar 8 and EchoStar 10 share the work load.
Dish Channel Chart 110° subset
There are conflicting reports about the source of transponders 25 and 31.
Transponders 28, 30 and 32 belong to DirecTV and come from their satellite.
FSS Ku-Band, circular polarization. Programming includes expanded HD local-into-local and international programming. Reception requires a Plus dish, aka 500+ or 1000+, which has a dual-band LNB for 118.75° and 119°.
Not receivable by the 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, JVC-IRR, DISHPlayer 7100/7200. The slot is identified as 119K by the 2800, 6000, and 721.
Dish Channel Chart 118.75° subset
Carries AT100, most of AT200, audio channels (mono and CD), locals, distant nets. Viewable with Dish500. Actual placement is 118.9°.
Dish Channel Chart 119° subset
Transponders 22 - 32 belong to DirecTV and their satellites are taking care of those.
FSS Ku-Band, linear polarization. Currently no subscriber channels, had carried local channels and mirrored nearly all the international channels at 61.5° and 148°, also used for testing of future broadband service. Placed into service 11/19/03.
Not receivable by the 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, JVC-IRR, DISHPlayer 7100/7200.
Dish Channel Chart 121° subset
EchoStar filed an FCC application for authority to construct, launch and operate a satellite in the fixed-satellite service (FSS) using Ka-Band frequencies. The company proposed to offer DTH services, two-way broadband, interactive capabilities and HD content. (Quoted from SkyREPORT)
Carries must-carry locals and HDTV. Channel 9901, “Welcome, you have a Dish 1000” became active 9/1/05. Reception is from the Dish1000 or a separate dish.
Not receivable by the 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, JVC-IRR, DISHPlayer 7100/7200
Dish Channel Chart 129° subset
From 1/02(?) - 10/03 EchoStar transmitted the “minor” Philadelphia locals from leased transponder 17 on Telstar 7 (renamed Galaxy 27 on 2-1-07). These moved to 61.5° but are now on 110°.
Carried international channels, minor locals for western markets, some entire local markets. Almost a mirror of 61.5°. Requires separate dish.
Dish Channel Chart 148° subset
There is no satellite at this slot as of 8/3/09.
Slot has been vacated with the move of E-IV to 77°. Subscriber impact is nearly non-existent as the only channels that had been carried were mirrors of a few locals on 110° and 119° and were not promoted. EchoStar stands to lose the transponders it owns if it doesn't place a satellite back here to utilize them.
Dish Channel Chart 157° subset
The FCC on 5/4/07 issued a Report and Order for BSS Band (17/24GHz). EchoStar has 10 requests before the FCC: 119°, 114.5°, and 110°; and 61.9°, 67°, 77.2°, 86.3°, 124°, 128.6°, and 147.6°. Dish has narrowed their requests to 5 per an FCC rule to 61.9, 77.2, 110, 114.5 and 119 W.
Under constructin for launch on March 18 or 20, 2010 to 119° (other estimates put the launch in late 2009 or 1Q10, possibly early February, for service in 3/10). This satellite has been designed with a combination of CONUS and spot beam capacity and could be used at multiple orbital locations. The satellite is capable of operating all of its channels on a large “CONUS+” downlink beam that serves the United States including Alaska and Hawaii, and the Caribbean (CONUS map national spot beam maps individual spot beam maps - SatelliteGuys.US). Certain channels can use 114 transponders on 51 spot beams.
On April 14, 2008, Space Systems/Loral, Inc. began the construction of EchoStar XV, a direct broadcast satellite expected to launch by the 4th quarter of 2010, providing CONUS service from 61.5° replacing EchoStar III.
On Dec 30, 2009, Space Systems/Loral announced it had been selected to provide EchoStar XVI, based on the space-proven SS/L 1300 satellite bus, for launch in 2012.
EchoStar has applied for authority to operate a Direct Broadcast Satellite (“DBS”) system composed of a total of ten satellites using the 17/24GHz Broadcast-Satellite Service1 (“BSS”) frequency bands (“DBS Expansion Band”) into the orbital locations at 61.9°, 67º, 77.2°, 86.3º, 124º, 128.6º, and 147.6º, respectively, assuming a 4.5° spacing plus or minus a separation distance of up to 0.4 degrees between each satellite. EchoStar has also already filed applications to operate DBS Expansion Band satellites at 110º W.L., 114.5º W.L., and 119º.
All slots but 67° and 124° are close enough to existing slots to be picked up by a single antenna (that might mean a dual-band LNB similar in concept to the Plus dish). The slots will be used for HDTV, added niche and international services, and expanded coverage into Mexico.
EchoStar has been granted authority to launch a 17/24 GHz Broadcasting-Satellite Service (BSS) satellite at 79°. Construction is to start by 4/2012 with launch by 4/2014, with a 15-year license term once in service.
EchoStar has been granted authority to launch a 17/24 GHz Broadcasting-Satellite Service (BSS) satellite at 75°. Construction is to start by 3/2012 with launch by 3/2014, with a 15-year license term once in service.
EchoStar filed an amendment to an FCC application to construct, launch and operate a FSS/Ka-Band spot-beam satellite (Quoted from SkyREPORT) The application has lapsed and DirecTV has filed an application for its use.
EchoStar obtained control of the Ka-Band slot from VisionStar in Oct 2001. The FCC put the frequencies up for reassignment after declaring VisionStar out of compliance with the licence's construction milestones. EchoStar has re-filed for access to the slot, wants to use it for delivery of video services, including more local TV and high-def channels, two-way broadband, transport of programming to uplink centers, and delivery of international satellite TV services. (SkyREPORT)
Construction of “EchoStar-113” has begun and launch is expected in the fall of 2009.
On Sept 2, 2009 EchoStar surrendered its Ka-band authorization to provide service from 113°.
Corrections, additions and ideas welcome. Page edited by BobaBird with thanks to TNGTony for compiling much of the information.
