DirecTV: We’re Still In HD Lead
Satellite Launch Will Facilitate 150 National HD Services This Fall
By Linda Moss -- Multichannel News, 3/22/2008 3:13:00 AM
DirecTV’s newest satellite, launched last week, will permit the nation’s largest satellite-TV provider to deliver up to 150 national high-definition channels and expand its delivery of local HD channels to more than 100 markets when the bird goes into service this fall, according to the company.
With the added capacity of DirecTV 11, DirecTV said that will be able to vastly expand its industry-leading HDTV offering. Right now, DirecTV delivers 92 national HD channels and local HD broadcast stations in 77 cities, representing about 76% of TV households.
Its satellite competitor, Dish Network, currently has roughly national 70 HD channels and about 34 local high-definition markets. But Charlie Ergen’s company said last week that it remained on course to expand its HDTV offerings, despite problems with the launch of its new bird, AMC-14.
In a press release, Dish CEO Ergen said the satellite-TV provider would still meet its year-end goal of offering 100 national HD networks and 100 local HD markets by year’s-end. Local HD launches are set for 21 markets in April and May.
But DirecTV voiced skepticism about Dish’s assurances.
“We are well ahead of them now on both counts — national and local HD — and with the successful launch of our new HD satellite Wednesday, will be in more than 100 markets by year end,” DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer said. “Suffice it to say that we expect to remain the industry leader in the delivery of HD.”
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