What is the latest on Nimiq 4?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bent But
  • Start date Start date
Yes, DirecTV uses the Ka band for most of its HD service. I'm a DTV subscriber in Northern California, and am pleased with the reliability of the Ka band transponders during inclement weather. Their satellites at 99 and 103 degrees have a combination of Conus national channels and spot beam HD locals.
FWIW, Dish Network looked into using the Ka band for its expansion and rejected it, preferring to lease additional Ku birds all over the place.
I was a microwave engineer before retiring, and I remember the "raised eyebrows" in the early '80s when NBC decided to use Ku band for their network satellite distribution instead of the tried-and-true C band, which ABC and CBS went with.
 
Guys if you want to make a new thread for pointing at Dish Network, go ahead, but please stay to the topic :)
 
The other interesting piece of information in that document is that Direct TV (using satellite DirectTV 1R) has access to the other half of that slot until December, 2009. I think that means the entire slot is committed to DTV & Dish until then. I guess BEV doesn't have plans for it until after that date, which means everything is riding on Nimiq 4 at 82 for a while.

I'm starting to wonder if I might need to look south for my television needs. :(

-Mike
 
Hmm, and stoop to the levels that Dish Network did when they re-numbered there system? Nah, not Bell...
 
yeah , I saw October 2008 somewhere in the internet but I can not warantee if it was a guess or a schedule.
 
How did you come up with the 8000 subscribers? And what are you assuming their monthly bill is? Maybe my math is bad (It usually is) but those numbers seem a bit off:confused: I do feel a little bit bad for those who are snowbirds, or living full time down south, but I would rather see Bell concentrate on satisfying the bulk of the customers, who live north of 49. I'm eager to see how nimiq 4 has affected my signal strength, as it seems some others have stronger signals.
Happy Thanksgiving:D
 
For all we know this is a temporary situation BUT Bell makes it very clear they do not provide service to the US, period. Just because you've found a way to get it, doesn't mean you were entitled to it. I'm sorry you've lost service unexpectedly but that was always the risk. Same with Dish/Direct subscribers in Canada.

Anyway, I hope that an 8PSK switch is in the works, soon.

-Mike
 
8000 was just a guess at the number of US customers, it can be any number. I used an average monthly bill of say 56.00 8000 x 56= 448,000.00 per month x 12 months = $5,376,000.00 per year

8000 customers would be equal to about 3/4 of 1 percent of the total customer base
 
Nimiq 4 had a good launch. Obviously some milestones on the trip but she is on the way. We'll know more in the next 8+ hours.
 
I find this explanation the best I've seen re: the issue of signal strength, modulation, error correction and how they influence each other...
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=577848&postcount=114

Only time will tell what exactly N4 will use...
 
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