All systems go for EchoStar VIII
By Paige Albiniak -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/21/2002 2:00:00 AM MT
The Federal Communications Commission Thursday granted EchoStar Communications Corp. authority to launch and operate its eighth satellite at 110 degrees west longitude.
EchoStar plans to launch EchoStar VIII from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on a Proton K/Block DM launch vehicle Saturday at 1:15 a.m.
The satellite will use spot beams to carry local TV programming into local markets. It also will provide additional backup capacity and cover the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.
The satellite will start out at 129 degrees west, where it will be tested for up to eight weeks.
The FCC ruled that if operating the satellite at the temporary location causes harmful interference to any other operating satellites, testing there must cease.
EchoStar also announced Thursday that it is offering local TV signals in West Palm Beach, Fla., including ABC channel 25 (WPBF), NBC channel 5 (WPTV), Fox channel 29 (WFLX), United Paramount Network channel 34 (WTVX), PBS channel 42 (WXEL) and independent channel 61 (WFGC).
EchoStar said it was "unable to secure retransmission consent from the local CBS affiliate, channel 12 (WPEC), and it will not offer CBS in its locals package at this time."
WPEC's general manager did not return phone calls by press time.
