“Dish” Satellite Service Launched in Mexico

Today Echostar has officially announced the launch of its new Mexican satellite service which they are calling “Dish.”

Dish is a satellite service which will be offering programming to residents of the country of Mexico,  it should not be confused with “DishMEXICO” which was announced and launched by Dish Network last week.  DishMEXICO is a Spanish language programming tier offered by Dish Network to Unites States residents of Mexican descent.  DishMEXICO programming is not available in Mexico.

Confused yet?

The new Dish satellite service in Mexico will start rolling out to residents of Puebla and Leon Mexico and will expand its rollout as time progresses.

Dish service begins with a basic package which contains 25 Spanish and English channels for $139 pesos per month.

The new service will use the same Echostar hardware which is used by Dish Network here in the United States and Bell TV which is in Canada. I am guessing that the receivers being used will be older model receivers that are off lease from Dish Network customers. It also allows Echostar to use the older Dish 500 satellite antennas. All of the equipment will be leased to the new Dish customers.

For the new Dish service Echostar has partnered together with MVS Communicaciones who is the parent company behind MVS Multivision.  MTS Multivision launched in 1989 and was the first television system to use MMDS technology.

Be a Radio Star

Over the weekend I was playing with my free to air satellite system and while playing I stumbled upon something that got me very excited.  I had rediscovered satellite radio, and no I am not talking about XM or Sirius.

With an inexpensive free to air satellite receiver and a KU band satellite dish you can access hundreds of free satellite radio channels.  The audio channels range from everything from foreign language / ethnic radio stations, religious channels, music channels and one that had me all excited, a channel called Access America.

I stumbled upon Access America by mistake Friday night as I was flipping through all of the free audio channels found on the Galaxy 25 satellite.  As I was flipping through all the stations I heard a voice of someone I knew, it was the booming voice of Mike Kohl of Global Communications.  I have known Mike for over 20 years now; he is a real satellite pioneer and has been there since the satellite industry first began. On the show Mike was talking about satellite technology and then I was instantly hooked.

The show’s host Ralph mentioned to folks listening to call in or join their chat room.  I quickly grabbed my laptop and entered the chat room, and it was full of old friends, some of them I haven’t seen or talked with in years, I was in heaven!

While in the chat I talked to one of the stations owners who explained the Access America channel to me.  It is an audio channel where anyone can rent time to have their own radio show.  He also explained to me the pricing and I was shocked how little it cost for anyone who wants to have their own radio show to broadcast that show nationwide.

So far programming is made up mainly of satellite hobbyists but in reality anyone can be a radio star.

Since finding this channel over the weekend, I have spent the past few nights tuned in and enjoying what I am hearing. 

If you are interested in listening the details for tuning in are as follows,  Access America is beamed to you by the new Galaxy 19 satellite which is at 97 degree West Longitude on Transponder 23. (Direct tuning info is 12.115 MHZ / Vertical / Symbol Rate: 22.425 Audio PID 1794.

If you don’t yet have a free to air satellite setup you can also listen via the web at http://www.access-america.net.

Who knows perhaps someday you might tune in and hear me on the air. Anything is possible in fact there could be a time I tune in and I might hear you on the air. J