Dish Network 2007 Annual Report Download - page 17

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Table of Contents
AMC
-15 . AMC-15 commenced commercial operation during January 2005 and currently operates at the 105 degree orbital location. This SES
Americom FSS satellite is equipped with 24 Ku FSS transponders that operate at approximately 120 watts per channel and a Ka FSS payload
consisting of 12 spot beams. The ten-year satellite service agreement for this satellite is renewable by us on a year to year basis following the
initial term, and provides us with certain rights to replacement satellites.
AMC
-16 . AMC-16 commenced commercial operation during February 2005 and currently operates at the 118.7 degree orbital location. This
SES Americom FSS satellite is equipped with 24 Ku FSS transponders that operate at approximately 120 watts per channel and a Ka FSS
payload consisting of 12 spot beams. The ten-year satellite service agreement for this satellite is renewable by us on a year to year basis
following the initial term, and provides us with certain rights to replacement satellites.
Satellites under Construction
We have entered into contracts to construct a number of additional satellites, including the following satellites which are contractually
scheduled to be completed within the next three years.
We have also entered into agreements to lease capacity on the following satellites currently under construction.
We are significantly increasing our satellite capacity as a result of the agreements discussed above and other satellite service agreements
currently under negotiation. While we are currently evaluating various opportunities to make profitable use of this capacity (including, but not
limited to, increasing our international programming and other services, expanding our local and HD programming, offering fixed satellite
service capacity on a wholesale commercial basis (rather than direct to consumers), and supplying satellite capacity for new international
ventures, we do not have firm plans to utilize all of the additional satellite
10
• EchoStar XI, a Space Systems/Loral, Inc. (“SSL”) DBS satellite, is expected to be completed in 2007. However, the launch could be
delayed until the second half of 2008 as a result of problems currently being experienced by the launch provider, Sea Launch.
EchoStar XI is expected to provide service to CONUS from the 110 degree orbital location. This satellite will enable better bandwidth
utilization, provide back
-
up protection for our existing offerings, and could allow DISH Network to offer other value
-
added services.
• Four additional SSL Ka and/or Ku extended band satellites are contractually scheduled to be completed during 2008 and 2009. They
would enable better bandwidth utilization and could allow DISH Network to offer other value
-
added services.
• CMBStar, an S-band satellite, is scheduled to be completed during the second quarter of 2008. Provided required regulatory approvals
are obtained and contractual conditions are satisfied, the transponder capacity of that satellite will be leased to an affiliate of a Chinese
regulatory entity to support the development of satellite
-
delivered mobile video services in China.
• During January 2007, we entered into a contract for the construction of EchoStar XIV, an SSL DBS satellite, which is expected to be
completed during 2009. This satellite has been designed with a combination of CONUS and spot beam capacity and could be used at
multiple orbital locations. EchoStar XIV could also allow DISH Network to offer other value
-
added services.
• An SES Americom DBS satellite (“AMC-14”) which is currently expected to launch during late 2007, and commence commercial
operation in early 2008 at an orbital location to be determined at a future date. The satellite is being equipped with transmit antennas
optimized for multiple orbital locations, providing greater backup flexibility in the event certain other in
-
orbit satellites fail.
• A Telesat FSS satellite (“Anik F3”) which is currently scheduled to be launched during second quarter of 2007 and commence
commercial operation at the 118.7 degree orbital location. This satellite could allow DISH Network to offer other value-added
services.
• A Canadian DBS satellite (“Ciel 2”) which is currently scheduled to be launched during 2009 and commence commercial operation at
the 129 degree orbital location, has both spot and CONUS capabilities. This satellite could be used to provide HD programming to
CONUS and as additional backup capacity.