Dish to Launch 17 HD Channels in August
DISH NETWORK® MEETS 100 HD CHANNEL MARK AHEAD OF SCHEDULE; ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF 17 MORE NATIONAL HD CHANNELS
Introduces Industry-First TurboHD, the Only 100% HD Service, Available August 1
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — July 10, 2008 — DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH) today announced plans to launch 17 national HD channels, surpassing its goal of reaching 100 national HD channels five months ahead of schedule. The new HD channels that will be added are:
- ActionMax HD (DISH Network Ch. 313)
- CBS College Sports HD (Ch. 152)
- Lifetime HD (Ch. 108)
- Lifetime Movie Network HD (Ch. 109)
- Planet Green HD (Ch. 194)
- Encore HD (Ch. 340)
- HBO 2 HD (Ch. 301)
- HBO Comedy HD (Ch. 307)
- HBO Family HD (Ch. 305)
- HBO Latino HD (Ch. 309)
- HBO Signature HD (Ch. 302
- HBO West HD (Ch. 303)
- HBO Zone HD (Ch. 308)
- Starz Comedy HD (Ch. 354)
- Starz Edge HD (Ch. 352)
- Starz Kids & Family HD (Ch. 356)
- Starz West HD (Ch. 351)
“In January, we promised our customers that DISH Network would boost our national HD channel lineup to 100 by year’s end. Today, we are proud to say that in less than one year, not only did we deliver on our commitment, but we exceeded it,” said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network. “We continue our pledge to DISH Network subscribers to add more national channels and local HD markets, as well as offer the best sports and movies in HD.”
In addition, DISH Network is thrilled to introduce TurboHD, the first-ever 100 percent, all-HD programming package in the pay-TV industry, with advanced equipment that works on all TVs. TurboHD offers the most-watched HD channels in four separate tiers and can be viewed on analog, digital and high definition TVs, making it the perfect solution for consumers who have or are considering upgrading to HD programming. All TurboHD packages can include HD locals where available.
“TurboHD is revolutionary to the industry; we’re changing the way people watch TV by offering them all of the top channels — in HD only — with the best high-definition systems on the market,” said Jessica Insalaco, Chief Marketing Officer for DISH Network. “When consumers add HD programming, their viewing habits change — they don’t like to go back to standard definition — so their viewing switches over to all-HD channels. TurboHD will provide the next-generation high-definition television experience by offering only the best in HD programming and award-winning HD technology at incredible prices.”
TurboHD Bronze: $24.99/month or $29.99/month with local channels*
TurboHD Bronze DishDVR Advantage: $34.99/month; includes core HD package, local channels and a free DVR receiver
TurboHD Silver: $32.99/month or $37.99/month with local channels*
TurboHD Silver DishDVR Advantage: $39.99/month; includes core HD package, local channels and a free DVR receiver; Regional Sports Networks where available
TurboHD Gold: $39.99/month or $44.99/month with locals channels*
TurboHD Gold DishDVR Advantage: $49.99/month; includes core HD package, local channels and a free DVR receiver; Regional Sports Networks where available
TurboHD Platinum: $10/month; add TurboHD Platinum to any qualifying package and receive HD channels that do not have corresponding SD channels.
New DISH Network Digital Home Advantage (DHA) subscribers or DHA-24 customers (24-month commitments) who sign-up for America’s Top 100 or higher, DishLATINO or higher, TurboHD Bronze or higher, or a qualifying International programming package will receive $50 off of their first statement and Cinemax for one year for just a penny. New or current DISH Network subscribers who commit to DHA-24 will also receive HBO and Starz free for the first three months of their subscription.
More information will be available at DISH Network - Home in the coming weeks. The new national HD channels and TurboHD packages are available beginning August 1, 2008.
DISH Network offers new customers the opportunity to upgrade for free to a dishHD DVR receiver like the ViP722™ - which recently received the top-ranking Editors’ Choice awards from both CNET and PC Magazine. The ViP722 is a dual-tuner HD DVR that operates two televisions in separate rooms and offers up to 500 hours of storage capacity allowing customers to pause, rewind and fast forward their favorite TV programming.
For more information on DISH Network, visit DISH Network — Home or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).
*In HD where available
Cox subscribers must be getting VERY frustrated. When will Cox finally (and significantly) increase their HD channels in Oklahoma?
We have only seen a trickle of new HD channels from Cox this year, while the satellites seem to be opening the floodgates.
Cox still hasn’t even met LAST YEAR’S pledge to have 50 HD channels by December 2007.
Consider Cox’s current OKC lineup:
6 local channels that you can get for free over the air.
4 premium channels that you only receive if you subscribe.
1 VOD that has very limited (and expensive) options.
Only 28 “basic” HD cable channels.
Well, at least Cox customers can take comfort in having access to the iTV service, which is using up bandwidth that could have gone to more HD!
HDEdmond - I am not frustrated - happy and pleased with the Cox HD service. The Dish Network announcement included 13 premium channels of the 17. Cox has move HD movies just with Starz HD On Demand. And once HBO and Showtime launch their HD On Demand product later this year you know Cox will carry them — and obviously Dish cannot.
I don’t get the very limited VOD. In my book it almost has too much. Plus they just announced they are starting FreeZone HD On Demand next month.
HDPokeFan - As a fellow Cowboys fan, we can agree it will be fun watching the OSU/WASU game on FSN HD on August 30. Glad to hear you are pleased with Cox HD. I still believe Cox needs to play catch up and should quickly start adding more (MANY more!) HD channels.
Don’t get me wrong, having 5 movies available on Starz HD On Demand is nice, and watching HD movie trailers on the FreeZone HD On Demand will be cool, but getting more actual CHANNELS in HD would be much, much better.
You are right about the OSU/WASU game.
I am not talking about FreeZone HD movie trailers - Cox already carries that. I am talking about FreeZone HD On Demand content from cable networks (Discovery, IFC, HGTV, etc.). Some of the same stuff they already have On Demand, but in HD On Demand.
I know Cox is kicking off their Free HD On Demand content with the Olympics. They are going to carry a lot of the Olympic highlights, and Olympic side-stories, in HD On Demand.
I have to agree that if you do not subscribe to the the movie packages DISH offers the 17 channels quickly becomes less exciting. They have been sending me some “good deals” — ifthey would always charge the lower rates. I sent everything back to them going over the air for the time being.
Dish was supposed to install my new MPEG-4 receiver today, but their installer canceled. If they don’t make the next appointment, I’ll probably cancel and go over the air exclusively myself.
Dennis
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