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Dish Network – The Brains Behind The Dish

Who is DISH Network?

DISH Network is satellite broadcasting brand name of EchoStar Communications Corporation, an international and publicly held company headquartered in Englewood, Colorado.

Humble Beginnings

Established in 1980, EchoStar was vision of now Chairman and CEO, Charlie Ergen along with his wife, Cantey and friend, James DeFranco. With company’s focus on customer service and cutting-edge equipment, it wasn’t long before EchoStar quickly began to grow.

In 1986, EchoStar introduced world’s first UHF remote control and just one year later, filed for a Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) license with FCC. They were granted that license in 1992. EchoStar soon turned its focus to providing its own DBS service and in 1995, realized that goal with launch of EchoStar I from Xichang, China.

And DISH Network brand name was born.

DISH Network Today

Ten years and eight satellites later, EchoStar and DISH Network continue to pursue that same groundbreaking leadership that has set them apart from competition. In 1999, DISH Network unveiled DISH 500, world's first and only 500-channel satellite TV system. Just a few months later, DISH Network does it again by releasing new HDTV Satellite TV Receiver in January of 2000. By 2004, DISH Network had become first satellite TV service to offer local channels to all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C. and it was DISH Network who said thanks to their customers by giving away 1,000 complete high definition television systems.

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How Satellite TV Works

Gone are days where you could spot a satellite dish six blocks away. Today’s dish is drastically smaller, much more reliable and considerably less expensive than its enormous ancestor.

So, just how does Satellite TV work?

First, you need to understand how antenna broadcasting system works. Traditional television broadcasting antennas use radio waves to transmit their programming. Each broadcasting station operates at a unique frequency that identifies station to FCC and allows your receiver to select a particular “channel”. These radio waves are carried from station’s antenna to yours which, when tuned to specific frequency picks up waves for your television to interpret and project.

Unfortunately, radio waves can only travel so far when emitted from an antenna and are subject to distortion as objects get in between two points of communication.

Enter Satellite

A satellite is actually any object that orbits a larger object, such as Earth. Our Moon is considered a satellite and, in theory, Earth would be a satellite to Sun. Man-made satellites follow this same premise. A man-made satellite is placed into position just over 20,000 miles above Earth. It is programmed to orbit Earth so that satellite stays in sync with Earth’s rotation. This means that a satellite that is positioned over United States will stay over United States, despite Earth’s constant movement.