The DISH Network satellite TV provider is getting ready to more high definition TV channels after the successful launch and deployment of its EchoStar XI satellite. It faced a set back in March when its previous satellite launch failed to reach its final orbit. With the additional capacity now available, DISH plans adding 17 national HD channels to its service to bring its total to 100, which will also be ahead of its original year-end target.
The DISH's competitor, DirectTV, has said that it aims to offer 150 HD channels by the end of the year. Regardless of which provider one chooses, both satellite providers have a significant advantage over cable TV providers, which currently only offer a very limited selection of HD channels. As more consumers purchase HD Ready TV sets, particularly now that the terrestrial analogue switch-off is just 7 months away, cable providers are already in the process of launching more HD channels, but still need to do a lot of catching up.
The successful launch of this EchoStar XI satellite was very important for DISH, as besides its limited capacity for HD channels on its existing satellites, its EchoStar2 satellite had experienced a major technical problem, which forced the company to move the few channels it had over to the EchoStar 1 satellite. EchoStar2 functioned mainly as a back-up satellite.
