“I’m in my dream job. It’s my hobby to do satellite,” said Charlie Ergen, EchoStar Chairman and CEO, denying he was considering selling the No. 2 satellite television provider, according to a report in the Denver Post.
Analysts said this week that AT&T was weighing a $13 billion bet to expand its television services and stymie competition from cable operators by acquiring EchoStar.
“These rumors are false. I’m happy being the largest shareholder of EchoStar,” Ergen said after a news conference at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show, the Denver Post reported.
Echostar’s Dish Network subscribers will be able to receive five new Voom HD channels beginning in February. The new channels are available to customers who upgrade to new set-top boxes capable of receiving MPEG4. The new HDTV lineup, called DishHD, will offer 25 national high-definition channels, plus local ones - where available - for $54.99 a month. That price also includes 70 standard-definition channels.
In addition to the Voom HD channels and HD channels from ESPN and NBC Universal, Echo Star will broadcast local channels in high-definition in select cities. Local channels in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York will be available in high-definition in February, with Echo Star planning to offer 50 by year-end.
The new ViP622 PVR, is the world’s first MPEG4 multi-room high definition and digital video recorder satellite TV receiver. It has the ability to view independent programs — one in high definition and one in standard definition programming — on two televisions at once.EchoStar has signed up about 12 million subscribers while competitor DirecTV has about 15 million.
DIRECTV and Microsoft announced an alliance to develop new ways to expand the reach of digital music, television and movies throughout the home and to portable devices.
Under the agreement, announced at the CES in Las Vegas, DIRECTV and Microsoft will work together to enable the flow of digital content among Windows-based PCs, DIRECTV’s set-top boxes, PlaysForSure-compatible devices and the Xbox 360.
DIRECTV and Intel also announced a deal that would enable remote viewing of DIRECTV’s entertainment services on PC screens, laptops, portable media players and set-top boxes using Intel Viiv technology later in 2006. Samsung announced a DirecTV receiver with an integrated 10.2-inch screen.
C/Net has a rundown of video gear and televisions at CES.
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