News Archive -- 2001
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12/31/01
12/28/01
12/24/01
12/21/01
12/20/01
12/19/01
12/18/01
12/17/01
12/14/01
12/13/01
12/12/01
12/10/01
- Dish,DirecTV prepared for must-carry (Sky Report)
- Charlie Chat tonight. Channel 101, 9 PM EST Summary
- Headlines:
- DirecTV/Hughes merger plans on track, expect review process to take six months or more.
- Must Carry takes effect January 1, 2002, New channels coming in all 36 cities.
- New Public Interest Channels starting Jan 15
- Antenna leaving 119 for 61.5 or 148 due to Must Carry
- ABC Family, ESPN Classic, Some Newscorp owned Fox Regional Sports nets gone after 1/1/02
- Q&A How soon will we see changes due to the merger. None for at least six months, stay tuned.
- Q&A Is it a good idea to switch from DirecTV to Dish? You'll have to make your own decision.
- Q&A What about NFL Sunday Ticket? Maybe, depends on the merger timing. Exclusive ends after next season.
- Q&A What about two way internet? Already available from Starband/Echostar.
- Q&A What is the merger climate in Washington? Some positive responses, many questions.
- Sundance Channel Free Preview Jan 18-20
- Showtime Free Preview Jan 11-13
- Q&A When is the launch of Echostar VII? We're hoping for a February launch, in service by April.
- Q&A When is search coming for the 501? Engineers are hoping for 1st Quarter of 02.
- Q&A Will prices change after the merger? We're hoping to hold the pricing line.
- Q&A What can we expect for new channels over the next few months? Several changes are in negotiations.
- Main focus for next few months is the addition of hundreds of local channels.
- Next show Januray 14, 2002. 9PM EST, Channel 101
- Tech Forum February 11, 2002
12/7/01
12/6/01
12/5/01
12/4/01
12/3/01
11/30/01
11/29/01
11/28/01
11/26/01
11/23/01
11/22/01 Happy Thanksgiving!
11/21/01
11/20/01
11/19/01
11/16/01
11/15/01
11/14/01
11/13/01
11/12/01
- Karmazin Praises Ergen-omics of Echostar Merger (Yahoo! Finance)
- PanAmSat Shares Off As Much As 11.4 Percent (Yahoo! Finance)
- More Lawmaker Comments on Merger (Skyreport.com)
- Charlie Chat Tonight: Channel 101, 9 PM EST Summary
- Headlines:
- Hughes/DirecTV agrees to merge with Echostar
- Merger will allow:
- more local into local markets served, up to 100 cities total
- more HDTV channels
- more interactive services
- high speed internet access for rural America
- more level playing field when negotiating with program providers
- nationwide pricing policy
- cost reductions
- IFC/Romance Classics split
- Merger will take about 9 months for government approval, some changes soon after, others will take a while.
- St Louis locals add KPLR, WB affiliate
- Korean language Arirang TV now available
- Portugese language Record International from Brazil now available
- TV Japan changes from 119 to 61.5 and 148 on December 4
- Holiday music on Channel 982 Tomorrow.
- Sign up for Club Dish referral certificates, save money on your bill and get better service
- Dish Network system gift certificates now available, give Dish and earn referral credits
- Dish Network programming gift certificates also available
- DishPVR 721 to be available early next year
- 4700 to 4900 upgrades to be finished by December 31
- Local PBS to be added in all local markets by Jan 1
- Local WB to be added in all local markets (except Orlando and Indianapolis) by Jan 1
- Next Chat December 10, Channel 101, 9 PM EST
11/9/01
11/8/01
11/7/01
11/6/01
11/5/01
11/4/01
11/2/01
11/1/01
10/31/01 (Happy Halloween!)
10/30/01
10/29/01
10/8/01
- Tech Forum Tonight. Channel 101, 9 PM (ET) Summary
9/10/01
- Charlie Chat Tonight. Channel 101, 9 PM (ET)
8/13/01
- Charlie Chat Tonight. Channel 101, 9 PM (ET)
- Headlines:
- Charlie comments on possible DirecTV merger,
- "a better use of bandwidth",
- "more locals, more HDTV, more interactive services",
- "more competitive against cable".
- PVR501 offer for existing customers.
- Commit to AT150CD and CC autopay for a year, get a 501 for $199
- Free installation and free upgrade to Dish500 (if required).
- Additional charges apply when adding a third or fourth receiver.
- Contact your original retailer or Dish Network. See Dish's page for details
- Q&A Are you planning on carrying Trio? Not much demand, we're in discussions.
- Q&A What about current Dishplayer problems? Another upgrade is in test, the cycle is slow for the DP.
- VH1 Classiic added to AT150CD on 7/18, Channel 163.
- P(akistan)TV starts 8/14, free preview til 9/11.
- East(61.5) and West(148) Coast CBS HDTV begins 8/14 in 16 cities and white areas.
- Q&A Do you plan to offer a search on the 501? Available later this year.
- Q&A Do you plan to offer HBO Zone? Few requests, all programming duplicated on other HBO channels
- Q&A Does the 501 have a 7 day guide? Coming soon, sooner than search.
- Q&A Will there be a dual tuner PVR? Next year, model 721.
- Q&A If I'm an annual subscriber do I qualify for the $199 501? Yes.
- Q&A When can I expect the 3800/3900 Open TV upgrade? In progress, should be complete in 4 months.
- Next Chat September 10, 9PM ET, Channel 101
8/6/01
- Technical Forum Tonight. Channel 101, 9 PM (ET) Summary
6/11/01
- Charlie Chat Tonight. Channel 101, 9 PM (ET)
5/14/01
- Charlie Chat Tonight. Channel 101, 9 PM (ET) from CNN's "Talkback Live" set
- Headlines
- New DishPVR 501 has free PVR service, available now.
- New channel, Great American Country coming to AT150 May 30.
- New Local City, Birmingham, Al on May 16 (or 17).
- New offer. Sign up for one year of AT150 (w/CC autopay), get free Dish 500 Upgrade.
- ($24.95 w/o CC autopay), includes free 3 month (12 issues) Sports Illustrated subscription.
- All AT150 subscribers entered in Wimbledon Trip sweepstakes.
- Q&A Will Dish carry MLB Extra Innings Pkg? Not this year, we'll negotiate again next year.
- Q&A How can I get TVLand to carry my favorite shows? Call or write TVland.
- Q&A Will the Dishplayer still be supported? Yes, WebTV supplies some of the software.
- Q&A Will there be a HDTV PVR? Yes, next year.
- Q&A Can I activate a Dish Network receiver left by a previous owner? Yes, if the previous owner's bill is up to date.
- Q&A Will I qualify for Birmingham locals? Only if you are in the Birmingham DMA.
- Q&A Why does it take so long for program info to come up. Older systems are slower with all the new channels.
- 501 will eventually store 9 days of program info (on hard drive).
- Q&A Why don't we get the West Coast network signals? We can't legally give you signals from outside your DMA.
- Q&A When will you get NFL out of market games? Not for at least two years.
- Q&A If I'm already on CC autopay, how much for my Dish 500 Upgrade? Free w/ year of AT150.
- Q&A When will there be a two tuner PVR? Fall.
- Q&A Will there be an external drive for the PVR? Possibly.
- Q&A Will there be a search feature on the 501? This Summer.
- Q&A Will the Encore Pak be made available again? Still available.
- Next Charlie Chat June 11 9 PM (ET) Channel 101
4/13/01
- HDTV service begins at 148° W
4/9/01
- Tech Forum tonight 8PM ET Ch 101 Summary
3/21/01
3/13/01
3/12/01
- Charlie Chat tonight. Monday March 12 9 PM ET Ch 101
- Headlines:
- Live from Starz/Encore Studios "Hollywood 1 on 1" set
- Dish Network 5 year anniversary video
- Austin Texas Locals begin March 28
- Atlanta adds WB affiliate WATL March 15
- Chigago adds UPN affiliate WPWR April 4
- Retransmission Problems with Young shuts down WKRN Nashville and KRON San Francisco
- Romance Classics no longer exists 4/1 IFC goes 24/7
- Starz Preview extended to March 25
- AT150 Preview March 13-20 Ch 267 - 297, Dish 500 not required
- Dish 500 Half Price Upgrade good til end of March
- New Greek Packaging MegaCosmos, ERT, Antenna $36.99 at 61.5° and 148°
- Q&A WKRN website has a different story on Retransmission, what's the deal? KCAL is part of the deal, attorneys involved.
- Q&A What about UltimateTV, how will you compete. New tech coming soon, watch next Tech Chat
- Q&A What HDTV programming is available? What is coming? HDTV Page Look for OTA HDTV locally.
- Q&A Do I own my "Digital Home Plan" Equipment? No, it is leased.
- Q&A What's going to happen with the Superstations? Still unknown, we're working on it but not optimistic. More later.
- Q&A Can I get the shipping waived on the Dish 500 Upgrade If I'm already on CC autopay? Yes
- Q&A Can my bill be deducted from my checking account? Call and ask for EFT service
- Q&A Must I connect my phone line? Only for PPV without surcharge. New Tech coming may require phone connection.
- Q&A Will Dish Latino be expanded? Most channels aren't cleared.
- Q&A Why can't I get Turner South in Arkansas? Turner South contracts won't permit it.
- Tech Forum April 9, 2001 8PM ET Ch 101
3/9/01
3/8/01
3/7/01
3/5/01
3/2/01
2/23/01
2/16/01
2/14/01
2/12/01
- Court to Review Must-Carry Motions (SKYReport)
- Dominion Pursues Legal Fight With DISH (SKYReport)
- Patent Infringement Suit Against EchoStar Dismissed With Prejudice (Echostar PR)
- Charlie Chat Monday, February 12, 2001, 9:00 PM ET Ch 101
- Headlines:
- KWGN, KTVD added to Denver Locals
- KTLA added to LA Locals
- Two more satellites on track for launch, Echostar VII & VIII, 10-15 more cities by next year
- Starz Free Preview March 9-11
- AT100CD now available to Hawaii
- New 3 minute PPV movie guide on Ch 500
- New 3 minute PPV sports/events guide on Ch 450
- Four New Arabic channels on 61.5 & 148 in Freeview til 4/30/01
- Two new Arabic packages Enhanced $22.99, Elite $29.99
- Q&A What about Dish 500 equipment upgrades? Dish 500 upgrade still half price, no receiver upgrade needed.
- AT40 (now AT50), AT100CD, Dish Latino2 & HBO Prices increased on 2/1/01
- Everything pack includes AT150CD and all premium Movies services
- Q&A Will there be more HDTV programming added this year? Not a lot of content available, we're talking with Discovery and National Geographic
- New Customer Support online https://customersupport.dishnetwork.com/main.jsp
- Q&A What makes Dish Network Different from the other DBS provider? Customer commitment
- Q&A If I order a PPV on one receiver, why don't I get it on all? If you call and pay the extra $1, you'll get it on all receivers
- Q&A Can I switch CC autopay to a debit card? Yes
- Q&A Why isn't the Charlie Chat in the Dish Entertainment Guide? We don't know Jim DeFranco's schedule far enough in advance. We'll try.
- Q&A When will Echostar VI go into service? In service already.
- Q&A Will Echostar VI affect my service? You've got more signal, and it freed up Echostar I to go to 148
- Q&A When will the DishPRO 501 be available, what about OpenTV? This Spring (4/1), all new receivers will be OpenTV
- Q&A When will HDTV be at 148? We're looking at it, not imminently
- Q&A Are you still in negotiations for Trio? We are in discussions with the new owner USA
- Q&A Are Starband charges on my Dish Network bill? Yes
- Q&A Is the Starband AT150CD $60 rate good with the Everything Pack? Yes
- Q&A Will there be a promotional offer for Starband vs Dish500 upgrade? We'll have to figure that out.
- Next Chat 5th anniversary of Dish Network, Monday March 12 9 PM ET
2/5/01
2/1/01
1/31/01
1/26/01
1/16/01
1/15/01
- Charlie Chat Monday, January 15, 2001, 9:00 PM ET Ch 101
- Headlines:
- WWOR and WPIX added to NYC local package
- Locals available from Dish in 34 cities
- Additional spot beam satellites to launch in about a year
- New Hawaiian Music Channel on Ch. 981
- HBO Latino added to HBO package.
- New Sopranos episodes in HDTV
- Gilbert, AZ Uplink Center on-line and broadcasting
- AT40 becomes AT50 on 2/1/01 Price increases to $21.99
- AT100 and Dish Latino 2 Price increases to $30.99 on 2/1/01
- HBO Unlimited Price increases to $12.99 on 2/1/01
- HBO/Cinemax package decreases to $19.99 on 2/1/01
- Model 6000 Receiver wins awards at CES
- New Automated Customer Service at 1-800-333-DISH (3474)
- Q&A What about Egyptian Programming? Contract signed, hope to launch in Feb.
- Q&A What about Letterbox PPV? Several PPV channels are in Letterbox, look for LBX
- Q&A What about Fox Sports West 2? Still in negotiations
- Q&A Will Dishplayer be discontinued? Will continue for the foreseeable future.
- Q&A Will there be new PTV products? Dish Pro 301 and 501 introduced at CES.
- Q&A Will you be carrying ABPN? Never heard of it.
- Q&A Why aren't there West Coast feeds of USA, SCIFI, Bravo etc.? Some channels have none, We'd rather support variety.
- Q&A What new channels are being added to AT40 for the $2? No new channels will be added.
- Q&A Why don't you do live web-casts of the Charlie Chats? Watch one of our repeats, we'll look into it.
- Q&A Why isn't IFC available 24/7? We're in negotiations, watch for changes in RO/IFC.
- Q&A Is your Dolby Digital 2.0 or 5.0? Actually it's 5.1.
- Q&A When do MLB, NBA, NFL contracts end? Two more years.
- Q&A Will you bid on the sports packages? We plan to when/if they are available at a reasonable price.
- Q&A Will the Everything package stay at $69.99? Yes.
- Q&A Is there a chance of German Programming? Still in negotiations
- Q&A Can I buy the Dish Entertainment Guide at my newstand? Only avail at some retailers or by subscription.
- Q&A Will Dish be offering a two tuner receiver? We have a two tuner receiver in the works.
- Q&A When will the DishDVD be out? Still working on some audio bugs.
- Q&A When will the 3800 and 4700 get the OpenTV Upgrade? Waiting for more applications, perhaps Summer.
- Q&A Why do I still get an envelope in my bill with CC autopay? Billing dept always puts one into statements.
- Q&A When will there be more Public Access channels? Not until next January.
- Next Charlie Chat February 12, 2001 9 PM ET Channel 101
1/12/01
1/9/01
1/8/01
1/6/01
1/3/01
- AT40 becomes AT50 on 2/1/01. Price increases to $21.99 / month.
- AT100CD Price increases to $30.99 / month on 2/1/01.
- HBO Price increases to $12.99 / month on 2/1/01.
- HBO + Cinemax price drops $1.00 / month on 2/1/01.
- No increase on HBO if you have three or more movie packages or the Everything Pack.
1/2/01