EchoStar Communications Corporation, through its DISH Network, provides satellite delivered digital television to customers in the United States. DISH Network services include various video, audio and data channels, interactive television channels, digital video recording, high definition television, international programming, professional installation and 24-hour customer service.
As of December 31, 2006, the DISH Network had approximately 13.105 million subscribers. The company has 14 owned or leased in-orbit satellites which enable it to offer approximately 2,500 video and audio channels to consumers across the United States.
DISH Network and EchoStar Technologies Corporation
EchoStar Communications Corporation and its subsidiaries operates two primary interrelated business units:
The DISH Network, which provides a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) subscription television service in the United States; and
EchoStar Technologies Corporation (ETC), which designs and develops DBS receivers, antennae and other digital equipment for the DISH Network. The company refers to this equipment collectively as ‘EchoStar receiver systems.’ ETC also designs, develops and distributes similar equipment for international satellite service providers and others.
DISH NETWORK
Programming
Basic Programming Packages: This package includes approximately 100 of digital video and audio channels. Its ‘America’s Top 200’ (AT200) package, includes approximately 200 of popular digital video and audio channels, including Sirius Music Channels.
Its ‘America’s Top 250’ (AT250) package includes approximately 250 digital video and audio channels, and ‘America’s Everything Pak,’ which combines AT250 package and approximately 30 commercial-free premium movie channels including HBO, Cinemax, Showtime and Starz, is also offered. The company offers satellite-delivered local broadcast channels in approximately 170 markets in the United States. Cable operators include local channels in their programming packages.
Movie Packages: The company offers HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and other premium movie packages as well as 10 channels.
High Definition Programming Packages: The company offers approximately 25 national high definition (HD) channels. Further, customers who subscriber to HBO, Showtime and Starz also receive an HD feed of those channels. Similarly, customers who subscribe to standard definition local channels also receive HD local channels, where available.
DISH Latino Programming Packages: The company offers a variety of Spanish-language programming packages. Its ‘DISH Latino’ package includes approximately 35 Spanish-language programming channels. It also offers ‘DISH Latino Dos,’ which includes approximately 195 English and Spanish-language programming channels. ‘DISH Latino Max’ package includes approximately 220 Spanish and English-language channels. Additionally, subscribers may add approximately 35 Spanish-language programming channels to any of AT100, AT200 and AT250 packages for an additional cost per month.
Family-Friendly Programming Package: The company’s DishFAMILY package offers approximately 40 ‘family- friendly’ channels including sports, news, children’s programming, lifestyle, hobbies, shopping and public interest.
International Programming: The company offers approximately 130 foreign-language channels including Arabic, Portuguese, Hindi, Russian, Chinese, Greek and many others. DISH Network delivers foreign-language programming to customers in the United States.
Alliances
AT&T, Inc. (AT&T) and other telecommunications providers offer DISH Network programming bundled with broadband, telephony and other services.
ECHOSTAR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
EchoStar Technologies Corporation (ETC), one of the company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries, designs and develops EchoStar receiver systems. The company out-sources the manufacture of EchoStar receiver systems to third parties who manufacture the receivers in accordance with the company’s specifications.
The primary purpose of ETC division is to support the DISH Network. ETC also sells similar digital satellite receivers internationally, either directly to television service operators or to its independent distributors worldwide. Its satellite receivers are designed around the Digital Video Broadcasting standard, which is used in Europe and Asia.
Customers: The company’s primary international customer includes Bell ExpressVu, a subsidiary of Bell Canada.
Satellites
The company’s DISH Network satellite television programming is transmitted to customers over satellites that operate in the ‘Ku’ band portion of the microwave radio spectrum. The Ku-band is divided into two spectrum segments. The high power portion of the Ku-band — 12.2 to 12.7 GHz — is the Broadcast Satellite Service (BSS) band, which is also referred to as the Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) band. The low and medium power portion of the Ku-band — 11.7 to 12.2 GHz — is the Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) band.
Satellite Fleet
The company transmits programming from 14 satellites in geostationary orbit approximately 22,300 miles above the equator. Of these 11 are owned and three are leased. Its satellite fleet is a major component of EchoStar DBS System.
Owned Satellites
EchoStar I: EchoStar I operates at the 148 degree orbital location. The satellite can operate up to 16 transponders at 130 watts per channel.
EchoStar II: EchoStar II operates at the 148 degree orbital location. The satellite can operate up to 16 transponders at 130 watts per channel.
EchoStar III: EchoStar III operates at the 61.5 degree orbital location. The satellite was originally designed to operate a maximum of 32 transponders at approximately 120 watts per channel, switchable to 16 transponders operating at approximately 230 watts per channel, and was equipped with a total of 44 transponders.
EchoStar IV: EchoStar IV operates at the 77 degree orbital location, which is licensed by the government of Mexico to a venture in which the company holds a minority interest. The satellite was originally designed to operate a maximum of 32 transponders at approximately 120 watts per channel, switchable to 16 transponders operating at approximately 230 watts per channel.
EchoStar V: EchoStar V operates at the 129 degree orbital location. The satellite was originally designed with a minimum 12-year design life.
EchoStar VI: EchoStar VI is stationed at the 110 degree orbital location as an in-orbit spare. The satellite was originally equipped with 108 solar array strings, approximately 102 of which are required to assure full power availability for the original minimum 12-year design life of the satellite.
EchoStar VII: EchoStar VII operates at the 119 degree orbital location.
EchoStar VIII: EchoStar VIII operates at the 110 degree orbital location. The satellite was designed to operate 32 transponders at approximately 120 watts per channel, switchable to 16 transponders operating at approximately 240 watts per channel. EchoStar VIII also includes spot-beam technology.
EchoStar IX: EchoStar IX operates at the 121 degree orbital location. The satellite was designed to operate 32 FSS transponders operating at approximately 110 watts per channel, along with transponders that can provide services in the Ka-Band (a ‘Ka-band payload’). EchoStar IX provides expanded video and audio channels to DISH Network subscribers who install a specially-designed dish. The satellite also includes a C-band payload which is owned by a third party.
EchoStar X: EchoStar X operates at the 110 degree orbital location. Its 49 spot beams use up to 42 active 140 watt TWTAs to provide standard and HD local channels, and other programming, to markets across the United States.
EchoStar XII: EchoStar XII operates at the 61.5 degree orbital location. The satellite was designed to operate 13 transponders at 270 watts per channel, in CONUS mode, or 22 spot beams using a combination of 135 and 65 watt TWTAs. It operates the satellite in CONUS mode. EchoStar XII has a total of 24 solar array circuits, approximately 22 of which are required to assure full power for the original minimum 12-year design life of the satellite.
Leased Satellites
The company leases three in-orbit satellites which are being used to provide, among other things, standard and HD programming to certain local markets, international programming, backup capacity and fixed satellite service capacity on a wholesale commercial basis (rather than direct to consumers).
AMC-2: AMC-2 operates at the 85 degree orbital location. This SES Americom FSS satellite is equipped with 24 medium power Ku FSS transponders.
AMC-15: AMC-15 operates at the 105 degree orbital location. This SES Americom FSS satellite is equipped with 24 Ku FSS transponders that operate at approximately 120 watts per channel and a Ka FSS payload consisting of 12 spot beams.
AMC-16: AMC-16 operates at the 118.7 degree orbital location. This SES Americom FSS satellite is equipped with 24 Ku FSS transponders that operate at approximately 120 watts per channel and a Ka FSS payload consisting of 12 spot beams.
Competition
DBS and Other Direct-to-Home System Operators: The company’s competitors include News Corporation.
New Technologies and Competitors: The company’s competitors include Verizon Communications, Inc. and AT&T.
History
EchoStar Communications Corporation was founded in 1980.
