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Television Technology

It's the Beginning of the End of Satellite TV in the US (qz.com) 254

An anonymous reader shares a report: "We've launched our last satellite," John Donovan, CEO of AT&T Communications, said in a meeting with analysts on Nov. 29. The AT&T executive effectively declared the end of the satellite-TV era with that statement. AT&T owns DirecTV, the US's largest satellite company -- and second largest TV provider overall, behind Comcast. DirecTV will continue offering satellite-TV service -- it had nearly 20 million satellite video subscribers as of September, per company filings. But the company will focus on growing its online video business instead, Donovan said.

It has a new set-top box, where people can get the same TV service they'd get with satellite, through an internet-connected box they can install themselves. It expects that box to become a greater share of its new premium-TV service installations in the first half of 2019. It also sells cheaper, TV packages with fewer channels through its DirecTV Now and WatchTV streaming services, which work with many smart TVs and streaming media players like Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices. The practice of getting TV through satellite dishes propped up in backyards and perched on rooftops first took hold in the US in the last 1970s and early 1980s, after TV networks like HBO and Turner Broadcasting System started sending TV signals to cable providers via satellites. People in areas without cable or broadcast TV began putting up their own dishes to receive the TV signals, and that grew into a TV business of its own.

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It's the Beginning of the End of Satellite TV in the US

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  • Just like internet basically replaced broadcast TV, the reason why satellite TV will decline is in part because of the rise of wireless internet options (including satellite internet, like the satellites SpaceX plans to put up [fortune.com]).

    My mother lives fairly far out of a major city, to the point where cable is not offered - in the past few years she has gotten all internet and video options from a cellular wireless hotspot.

    So why would she want to get an expensive satellite TV option when she can do anything over a

    • Just like internet basically replaced broadcast TV, the reason why satellite TV will decline is in part because of the rise of wireless internet options (including satellite internet, like the satellites SpaceX plans to put up [fortune.com]).

      My mother lives fairly far out of a major city, to the point where cable is not offered - in the past few years she has gotten all internet and video options from a cellular wireless hotspot.

      So why would she want to get an expensive satellite TV option when she can do anything over a fairly decent wireless internet connection?

      Why indeed? Traditional TV is an overpriced pile of crap that cannot die quickly enough and I will not be crying any rivers when it does.

      • by KixWooder ( 5232441 ) on Monday December 03, 2018 @12:50PM (#57741368)
        Traditional TV requires a tuner and an antenna and const nothing other than the equipment.

        I used to have satellite tv. Now I have an antenna, Netflix and Prime. I'm thinking about dropping the streaming services as I've more or less stoped using them. It will cost nothing to keep my antenna on the roof.
        • What do you get from your antenna that is worth the while? I tried that a couple of years ago, and the only thing I could get were channels with preachers and soaps - plus a boatload of ads. I couldn't care less for preachers and soaps, and I just plain refuse to watch any ads. So, what material are you getting?
          • by omnichad ( 1198475 ) on Monday December 03, 2018 @01:18PM (#57741568) Homepage

            Pair it with a DVR if you want something other than soaps in the daytime. Broadcast TV still has some good stuff in the primetime hours.

          • What do you get from your antenna that is worth the while? I tried that a couple of years ago, and the only thing I could get were channels with preachers and soaps - plus a boatload of ads. I couldn't care less for preachers and soaps, and I just plain refuse to watch any ads. So, what material are you getting?

            I set up an antenna indoors, soon hope to get a slightly larger one outdoors to improve on a couple channels' reception....

            But I get all the 3 major networks, and Fox...and local PBS.

            Each of those

          • I get like a dozen+ HD channels, including all major networks, typical sportsing coverage, et al.

            But I live in a downtown area on an International border.

          • What do you get from your antenna that is worth the while?

            Well let's see. For me it's: local news, some sporting events, and re-runs of shows I enjoy (Frasier, That '70s Show, etc). Paired with a MythTV backend and several Raspberry Pi front-ends running Kodi as the PVR front-end, it's a really enjoyable setup for free, over-the-air content.

    • by DewDude ( 537374 )
      Because at some point her wireless provider will either add a super high data cap or be able to throttle video traffic.

      Relying on the internet when the providers are hell-bent on acting like an unregulated monopoly is a problem. People like you just rolling over and accepting it is a problem.
      • Because at some point her wireless provider will either add a super high data cap or be able to throttle video traffic.

        She used to have a 10GB data cap (T-Mobile) which I found I could increase to 22GB, but then I found a wireless business reseller [wirelessbuy.com] that still uses T-Mobile's network, but provides unlimited bandwidth for a lower fee than the 22GB capped service. It has a slower uplink for some reason but faster download speeds - perfect for what she is doing anyway.

        or be able to throttle video traffic.

        I'm

    • So why would she want to get an expensive satellite TV option when she can do anything over a fairly decent wireless internet connection?

      She wouldn't, but there are an awful lot of parts of the country where wireless is minimal or absent, and satellite is pretty much it. Not very many people in them, of course, but services like this have been a huge boon to RV'ers and hunting camps across the country. They will be sorely missed.

  • Few more lines and the /. summary would contain TFA whole.

    Let me save you some time and some ad views by pasting them here:

    But in recent years, consumers have shifted to new digital TV offerings like Netflix and Hulu or the live, PlayStation Vue service. That shift away from traditional TV services has hit satellite particularly hard. The US pay-TV industry reportedly lost a record number of TV subscribers last quarter, and the satellite services from DirecTV and Dish Network (which also owns internet-TV se

  • We're fucked (Score:4, Interesting)

    by DewDude ( 537374 ) on Monday December 03, 2018 @12:35PM (#57741230) Homepage
    Yup. With the ISP's effectively winning the war to do whatever they want...you'll soon be forced to subscribe to TV from your monopoly or suffer consequences.

    I really miss when there were consumer protection laws and things in place to prevent bullshit like this from happening. I'd rather pay taxes than pay unregulated extortion rates to a private corporation.
    • No.
      THings are about to change. We have multiple satellite systems coming that will be able to download at 1G rate to a building.
      In addition, more and more communities are putting together fiber-as-utility for local residences/businesses. Both of these make great sense.
      In particular, fiber will allow 10-100 GB connections to homes and residences. One nice thing about that, is that it allows a building to put in their own servers, as opposed to using AWS/Google/etc cloud.
      • by Puls4r ( 724907 )
        I think you meant to say "things for the small portion of the US population that have ACCESS to built up areas and fiber are about to change".

        You see, last I checked there's a pretty sizeable chunk of the US who can't get cable at all, much less fiber optic lines. I happen to fall into that chunk. In fact, my 4G LTE coverage maxes out at about 8 mb/s. Yeah. You read that correctly. And considering that 5G requires even MORE towers closer together, I don't see that 5G build out covering the large rur
        • by sinij ( 911942 )

          You see, last I checked there's a pretty sizeable chunk of the US who can't get cable at all, much less fiber optic lines. I happen to fall into that chunk. In fact, my 4G LTE coverage maxes out at about 8 mb/s. Yeah. You read that correctly.

          Have you tried pole mounted antenna with a booster?

          • Re:We're fucked (Score:5, Informative)

            by omnichad ( 1198475 ) on Monday December 03, 2018 @01:24PM (#57741614) Homepage

            What makes you think it's a signal issue? If you're surrounded by people whose only broadband is cellular and a rural tower is covering dozens of square miles, your share may not be much.

            • by Junta ( 36770 )

              When I'm with my rural family, it's absolutely a signal issue. Drive car 30 meters up the mountain, solid signal and high bandwidth (yes it's a tower covering a large area, but we are talking about 1 person per 50 acres or so, so it's not like the tower was vaguely busy.

          • by Average ( 648 )

            As already said, if you're getting any signal at all in LTE, it's probably not the air interface that's slow. Plenty of rural tower sites, especially once you're off in the 'partner networks' part of the country, with one copper DS3/T3 backhaul (if not even less), and you'd get that speed 50 feet from the tower.

        • Starlink will be available in about 2-3 years. When it comes, you will be able to get 1G+ for about $50 (though I suspect that antenna and install will cost 500). Fiber by the monopolies is worthless. Fiber from a utility, or where you have multiple competing companies, is where you will get ahead.
  • 2018: "Hey! We can cancel that expensive satellite service and force users to buy our shitty DSL service! It's brilliant!"

    2021: "SpaceX's new StarLink service starts bundling cable TV channels as part of its new Internet service."

    • I doubt that Starlink will bundle channels. Far more likely, they will stay with delivering IP, and then allow others to deliver TV, radio, web, etc. Of course, SX may have a subsidiary that delivers that, but, starlink will not.
    • They seem smarter than you. They understand the trend and are preparing for the future. You're just whining because you don't understand.
    • by Kjella ( 173770 )

      2018: "Hey! We can cancel that expensive satellite service and force users to buy our shitty DSL service! It's brilliant!"

      2021: "SpaceX's new StarLink service starts bundling cable TV channels as part of its new Internet service."

      They're not shutting down service now. They launched the last two DirecTV satellites in 2014-15 and with a 20 year lifespan it'll probably be in service until 2035-ish. What they're saying is that they don't see a return on investment on sending up any new TV satellites. The future threat from Starlink is certainly one possible reason, but the main reason is wireless broadband and streaming services. If you can get it I'm not surprised customers ditch DVRs and GEO-satellite Internet. If anything it's SpaceX

      • If anything it's SpaceX that should be concerned that their potential subscriber base is dwindling, at least in the US.

        I don't think you understand that dearth of broadband availability in the U.S. I'd estimate that at least half of the U.S. (by population) has either no broadband at all, or has broadband of little utility. Even if Starlink were limited to the U.S., the potential market is HUGE.

    • As a DirecTV subscriber, I already would have dumped them if I had better than AT&T's shitty DSL service. I'm hoping this means they are going to replace my last mile equipment with UVerse capable stuff rather than just discontinuing servicing my address completely.
  • Plenty of sat tv is coming. However, it will be broadcast over the net, including over starlink and 1-web.
    What will NOT be done, is a sat system that is devoted to TV, esp. at these prices with the lousy service.
  • If you already have broadband, you could just run a directv app on your existing devices or buy an inexpensive one.

    Though I did get such an app (att watch tv) bundled with my phone service and itâ(TM)s terrible... so maybe their capacity to write one is limited.

    • If you already have broadband, you could just run a directv app on your existing devices or buy an inexpensive one.

      Though I did get such an app (att watch tv) bundled with my phone service and itâ(TM)s terrible... so maybe their capacity to write one is limited.

      I'm guessing they're going to push their fiber with a DirectTvNow bundle at some point. If they can get DTVN a better interface so that it is easier to find things and make the DVR more flexible such as not auto deleting old shows, they will have a decent product. I have it and like not being thethered to their box so I can watch it virtually anywhere thanks to the magic of VPNs. Reliability is still an issue - it occasionally goes balck on me and I have to go to the menu to resatrt the program, and not all

  • Now I'm supposed to stream all my live tv too? I thought Netflix was already crushing the internet's "pipes." There are single weekends where I record 7 or 8 college and pro football games, sometimes 3 or 4 at a time. Tell me how that's gonna be possible over the internet?
    • Locate your recording device in the cloud and only stream what you are actually watching. You could theoretically record ALL channels, rather than just a few.
    • by Hodr ( 219920 )

      Good news! If all of those concurrent recordings were intended for individual viewing then you aren't watching them live (well 6 of them) and you could just stream them on-demand (provided your streaming option offers them).

      • by nwaack ( 3482871 )
        Yeah, they'll stream them WITH COMMERCIALS. I record them first is so I can fast-forward through all the commercials, halftime, time outs, etc.
        • Stream to DVR while you are not actually watching -> fast forward all you want while watching.

  • confused ... how do you cut a cable when you have sattelite tv?
  • by filesiteguy ( 695431 ) <perfectreign@gmail.com> on Monday December 03, 2018 @12:50PM (#57741364)
    Honestly, I have cable, but only for the internet. There's really nothing on television anymore making me want to sit down for an hour or more to watch.

    Though I understood satellite and satellite internet are currently the only way to communicate in very rural areas.
  • by Archfeld ( 6757 ) <treboreel@live.com> on Monday December 03, 2018 @12:59PM (#57741448) Journal

    I guess I am doomed, we have lousy internet, only one cable carrier available and they won't or can't deliver better than 25 Mbps. We can get a DSL signal but it never gets better than 12-16 Mbps. With me working from the house, the GF watching Amazon and her kid streaming music the net connection is choppy and unreliable. Spectrum cable SUCKS, they advertise starting at 60 Mbps and up to 100 Mbps but no one in the rural area I live in gets better than 25 Mbps.

    • by nwaack ( 3482871 )
      I'd be extremely happy to have 25 mbps. Right now I'm lucky to get 6.
    • If you're working form home, just put in a decent router with QoS and prioritize you over everything else. Streaming audio/video would never notice a difference.

    • by tepples ( 727027 )

      With me working from the house, the GF watching Amazon and her kid streaming music the net connection is choppy and unreliable.

      If you cut the Amazon Video back to standard definition and the music back to a more lossy codec, does it still stutter?

    • by SeaFox ( 739806 )

      I guess I am doomed, we have lousy internet, only one cable carrier available and they won't or can't deliver better than 25 Mbps....With me working from the house, the GF watching Amazon and her kid streaming music the net connection is choppy and unreliable.

      People have already said you should be applying prioritizing to your network so your work machine gets the best service. 25 mbps sounds like it should be enough if you're not trying to stream 4k at the same time. I know of people who have half your speed and can still work from home.

    • by AHuxley ( 892839 )
      That adsl will support one "TV" like image thats not HD, 4K.
      Sit around the TV and enjoy.
  • by FudRucker ( 866063 ) on Monday December 03, 2018 @01:56PM (#57741888)
    i bought their basic package, but what they dont tell you is that peppered throughout the channel line up is every other channel is 24/7 infomertals peddling crap, and channel surfing is slow so when you switch a channel you have to wait a few seconds for each channel to display on the TV, i promptly canceled after a very short time, i did not pay them to load my TV with all those spammy infomertals,

    i just dont watch TV anymore, its just not worth the annoyances to watch
  • Sports bars / books need it or very good internet with no caps
    Will Att run fiber to an bar at the same cost as they pay for TV? and that fee has free internet at least 50-100 down (no caps). Or with give them LTE / 5G with no caps, no deprioritization and no Throttling.

  • by p51d007 ( 656414 ) on Monday December 03, 2018 @03:03PM (#57742252)
    Guess they are just screwed. I know you city dwellers that never leave the city, don't get why people live in "flyover country", but there are a TON of potential customers that will be out of all television. Most live too far away for over the air, now that all the signals are digital and their power to reach is very limited. I do a lot of traveling in the midwest. Satellite dishes are EVERYWHERE. Someone will come along to take over that market.
    • Guess they are just screwed. I know you city dwellers that never leave the city, don't get why people live in "flyover country", but there are a TON of potential customers that will be out of all television. Most live too far away for over the air, now that all the signals are digital and their power to reach is very limited. I do a lot of traveling in the midwest. Satellite dishes are EVERYWHERE. Someone will come along to take over that market.

      Dish, no doubt. In addition, as 5G rolls out it will be a viable option as well; and a lot cheaper to run than ghaving a satelite option. I think satelite TV will be dead in 5 years or so. As oteh roptions become more readily available compaiies will look to dump the costs assocuiated with satellite and won't care about the small fraction that lose TV all together. They'll wait until it is small enough to avoid a political backlash when people compalin the their representatives.

  • Just because AT&T says they are going to move away form Satellite TV doesn't mean its the end for it. Not unless Dish Network also exits the market (something I have seen no signs they intend doing)

  • As others said already on here, many of the people who live in rural areas are interested in satellite television, at least until the day comes when they're all able to get broadband fiber or cable. Judging by the lack of interest in the monopolies in the U.S. to roll out service to new areas, I'd say satellite still provides a viable alternative for people for a LONG time.

    AT&T is probably just not so interested in hanging onto the DirecTV service in its long-term plans. That hardly means satellite TV

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