"EchoStar Communications, Hughes Electronics and General Motors believe that consumers will reap tremendous benefits from the merger of the businesses of EchoStar and HUGHES. The companies' two multi-channel television entertainment services, DIRECTV and DISH Network, today each transmit a total of more than 500 identical channels. Consumers will benefit from the massive increase in Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) capacity that will result from the elimination of this duplicative programming. Indeed, as a direct result of the completion of this merger, consumers across the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii will have access to local broadcast channels with digital-quality television picture and near CD-quality sound in every one of the 210 television markets across the country.

Local Channels, All Americans

Consumers want access to the local news, weather, and sports offered by their local TV stations.... In more than three-quarters of the U.S. local television markets today, local television stations are not available through any satellite provider. The proposed merger of the businesses of HUGHES and EchoStar will change that.

Subsequent to the announcement of the merger agreement on October 28, 2001, DIRECTV and DISH Network engineers held a series of pre-merger transition meetings to analyze the technical and economic feasibility of a "Local Channels, All Americans" plan by which the merged company could offer every U.S. consumer access to satellite-delivered local television signals. After an exhaustive examination of each company's spectrum and satellite assets, the engineers determined that this plan could become a reality. In a satellite application filed February 25, 2002 with the Federal Communications Commission, EchoStar and HUGHES detailed a technically and commercially feasible plan to build, launch and operate a new spot-beam satellite. Combined with four existing and under construction EchoStar and DIRECTV spot-beam satellites and spectrum efficiencies achieved by combining frequencies from three of the companies’ orbital locations, the new satellite will allow the new company to broadcast local channels in all 210 Designated Market Areas in the United States, including full compliance with must carry requirements.

New set-top boxes and satellite dishes will be deployed that will be capable of receiving satellite signals from multiple orbital positions. EchoStar has agreed that the new receiving equipment will be made available free of charge to all existing DIRECTV and DISH Network customers who may need it in order to receive their local channels.

Consumers across the country will pay the same price for services delivered by the merged DBS service, i.e., one nation, one rate card, regardless of a subscriber's location. Implementation of the plan will begin immediately upon regulatory approval of the merger, and the rollout is expected to be completed as soon as 24 months thereafter.

Bridging the "Digital Divide"

The merged company also will potentially establish itself as a source of meaningful satellite-based broadband competition, fulfilling the mission to provide affordable high-speed Internet access to all of America, including the most rural areas of the country. The "digital divide" in the United States is real: some 40 million households in the United States do not have access to high-speed Internet and data services, in large part due to the high cost of wiring homes for these services in less densely populated areas.

Combined, EchoStar and HUGHES potentially will be in a position to create a more robust satellite platform that will liberate these digital "have nots" by being able to serve every household in the country. Efficiencies from the combined companies will provide the subscriber base and financial means to move current satellite broadband offerings from their status as expensive "niche" services to a more competitive price point for consumers.

The combined EchoStar-HUGHES will achieve a new level of vigorous competition to incumbent cable operators, and will not have anticompetitive effects in any market. The benefits from this merger will allow all Americans to receive their full complement of local channels and national entertainment networks, as well as provide a new source of meaningful satellite-based broadband competition.

now I hope this will decrese prices and make it so I can get local channels in a remote area....

to view more detials plese visit the following url:

http://mergerinfo.hughes.com/5060/index.jsp

you may also talk about the meger in the forums here: http://www.dmusic.com/forum/interact/1594

The problem with gettinglocal broadcasts is that your local station have to approve. The place I'm in I can't receive the locals unless I have a 50 antenna, which my landlord won't go for. And the local stations won't give a waiver for me to recieve the distant networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX) because my zip code ahows it should be able to get it. If you go with it get the Dish 500 Antenna, which receives off of two sats (one at 199Degress and one at 110 degrees) They do have a PVR as well with no monthly additional fee like Tivo or Replay as well.

thanx for commenting thum-tack!!! I hope this does not affect you!!!! I hope it don't bother prices and make us pay more....

I worked for Echostar until about 2 weeks ago in tech support...that should have been the 50 ft antenna. and the 119 sat The New 721 receiver with 90 hour PVR kicks ass...The 501 also has a pvr in it, but only gets about 30 hours of recording time.

hahaha ghea. i was in fact one of he first 100 customers of the dishnetwork(echostar).. man i got that shit way back in april 96. i still have the same reciever, and the same crystal clear picture. dish rocks.

Another big Diff between Direct TV and Echostar is that Echostar handles their own tech support, and Direct TV farms theirs out. That will be changing from what I understand.

I know.... this looks very mixed up!!!! really.... I can't make head or tails of this merger!!!

i;ve been with dish net. for over 5 years!!! and have been through 2 recivers!!!! now they are to remain as seperate services...... it;s just that they'll be both provided by either Echostar or Hughes....

I use digital cable (yeah yeah, from the enemy) but satellite stuff hereabouts is loust (NYC) More than likely it's the enormous about of interference of all the transmitters and over emi in the area (I had to shield my wireless LAN at home even to goose performance.

Plus the deals here for Sat TV are lousy. You have all these pay tiers, even for local channels. I pay 50 a month and get all teh local stuff and about 12 pay channels now (multi HBO, Cinemax and Showtime) I also use them for my broadband so it's cheaper )

If I move out of here (the plan) then I will most likely be in an area to better take advantage of Sat TV.

thanx dee!!! and thanx every1 4 comment!!!!

good job on the article cdc! cheers

I can't even get cable so I have no alternative but sat..

cable kicks ass!

does didigtal cable have program guides and information about programs liek sat. does??? I really don't know that much about cable.... I am too used to sat.

it's a cable like for your cable tv but just a little thicker wire. and they give you this different modem for your computer and thats about all I know about them! oh and it's super fast!

cool!!! I might get broadband.... if it's avalible where we are moving to!!!

you can go on hi-speed with sat. it just costs alot!!! it can be up to 70 a month!!!!!

that sounds pretty fucking cool but can I get it in Canada?

I HATE Canadian TV, holy fucking shit it sucks fucking ass! I was just in the states for the last 2 weeks and they had the funniest and best shows and movies on all the time, I come home and it's garbage and local news about timmy who fell down a weel and french crap.

I'd get satelitte but it's over priced here and I still want hispeed internet and DSL around here is shit.

Digital cable in Canada:

I'm in Ottawa, and I have digital cable and a cable connection to the internet now (just moved from rural areas, I'm loving it)... I don't remember exactly how much, but to get the bundle you really do get a good deal (both from Rogers, now) if you get it from the same company,, and i think Rogers is the only one around...

Digital cable is good, gives a few specialty channels, a good sub for satellite (except no H-cards, that I know of *grin*).. So make sure you don't mind going legal

thats all, cya

how is satellite internet service? you said "hi-speed" but some consider 300-400 to be high-speed.. does it cut out more often? (sorry if these are dumb questions - never had satellite).