Dish Network 2007 Annual Report Download - page 8

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Table of Contents
PART I
Item 1. BUSINESS
OVERVIEW
Our Business
EchoStar Communications Corporation, through its DISH Network, is a leading provider of satellite delivered digital television to customers
across the United States. DISH Network services include hundreds of video, audio and data channels, interactive television channels, digital
video recording, high definition television, international programming, professional installation and 24-hour customer service.
We started offering subscription television services on the DISH Network in March 1996. As of December 31, 2006, the DISH Network had
approximately 13.105 million subscribers. We currently have 14 owned or leased in-orbit satellites which enable us to offer over 2,500 video
and audio channels to consumers across the United States. Since we use many of these channels for local programming, no particular consumer
could subscribe to all channels, but all are available using small consumer satellite antennae, or dishes. We believe that the DISH Network
offers programming packages that have a better “price-to-value” relationship than packages currently offered by most other subscription
television providers. We believe that there continues to be unsatisfied demand for high quality, reasonably priced television programming
services.
DISH Network and EchoStar Technologies Corporation
EchoStar Communications Corporation (“ECC”) is a holding company. Its subsidiaries (which together with ECC are referred to as
“EchoStar,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and/or “our”) operate two primary interrelated business units:
We have deployed substantial resources to develop the “EchoStar DBS System.” The EchoStar DBS System consists of our FCC authorized
DBS and Fixed Satellite Service (“FSS”) spectrum, our owned and leased satellites, EchoStar receiver systems, digital broadcast operations
centers, customer service facilities, in-home service and call center operations and certain other assets utilized in our operations. Our principal
business strategy is to continue developing our subscription television service in the United States to provide consumers with a fully
competitive alternative to others in the multi-channel video programming distribution (“MVPD”) industry.
We will continue to focus on improving our competitive position and growing our business by leveraging our satellite and engineering
expertise to pursue complementary strategic initiatives. These initiatives include offering fixed satellite service capacity on a wholesale
commercial basis (rather than direct to consumers) and continuing to develop and offer new products and services, such as advanced
interactive, home media and portable and mobile products and services. In addition, we are considering various investment and other business
opportunities domestically and abroad, and this activity could continue to increase in 2007.
Other Information
We were organized in 1995 as a corporation under the laws of the State of Nevada. Our common stock is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Global
Select Market under the symbol “DISH.” Our principal executive offices are located at 9601 South Meridian Boulevard, Englewood, Colorado
80112 and our telephone number is (303) 723-1000.
1
•
The DISH Networ
k
–
which provides a direct broadcast satellite (
“
DBS
”
)
subscription television service in the United States; and
•
EchoStar Technologies Corporation
(“ETC”) – which designs and develops DBS receivers, antennae and other digital equipment for
the DISH Network. We refer to this equipment collectively as “EchoStar receiver systems.”
ETC also designs, develops and distributes
similar equipment for international satellite service providers and others.