EchoStar Increases Rates, Enhances ITV Offerings

[Gregg Lengling]

EchoStar Communications said that effective Feb. 1 its DISH Network satellite TV service will increase basic rates by $2 per month. EchoStar also said that more than 5 million DISH Network households now have access to 14 interactive TV channels with more to be announced soon.

Since DISH Network's average basic subscriber pays over $50 per month, this equates to an increase of less than 4 percent over 2002 rates. This price increase is dramatically lower than recently announced cable rate increases. Rising programming costs and the addition of a variety of new basic channels necessitated the DISH Network increase.

DISH Home, a gateway to customer support, entertainment, news and weather, games, lifestyles and sports, is available at channel 100. EchoStar is demonstrating these interactive TV features at Consumer Electronics Show (CES), booth #25167, in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan. 10-12.

Also, Charlie Ergen, CEO and chairman of EchoStar, commented on the aftermath of the defunct DirecTV/DISH merger: "It was my fault that we didn't convince regulators to approve the merger. Life goes on. Certainly, as a company, we're more experienced."

EchoStar also introduced a HD monitor concept product that's 36 inches, direct view high-def TV and will be packaged with a number of EchoStar DBS products.