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- Bell Expressvu History -
Bell
Expressvu is currently Canada's leading digital direct to home (DBS)
satellite provider, delivering over 300 channels of Canadian English and French television programming from coast to coast in Canada to over 1.8 million subscribers via a small 18" digital satellite dish and set top box.
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The original Expressvu business plan called for it to use equipment by Tee-Comm, one of its partners. In late 1996, Tee-Comm left the Expressvu partnership, at which time Expressvu secured an agreement with Echostar for equipment.
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Early History
Bell Expressvu was one of the first 2 Canadian companies to receive a Direct to home satellite license from the CRTC in late 1995, the other company being Power Directv. Expressvu's application to the CRTC in May of 1995 came on the heels of Directv's entrance into the U.S. DTH satellite market. Expressvu had realized that the time had come to offer Canadians a viable alternative to cablevision. It also offered Expressvu's original partners BCE Inc.,Tee-Comm Electronics Inc.,Canadian Satellite Communications Inc. and WIC Western International Communications Ltd. an opportunity to get into the multi-billion Canadian home entertainment industry, which was controlled in majority by Canada's 3 major cablevision companies. The original Expressvu plan called for a 100 channel service, delivered from the Canadian Anik E1 satellite. at 111.1° W.L.
In 1995, faced with a threat to the Canadian Telecommunications industry, the CRTC chose to adopt new rules requiring all broadcasters to apply for licenses. Expressvu had originally planned for a mid 1995 launch, which was delayed due to the time required for the CRTC to approve its license. After approval in December 1995, it slated a proposed launch date of mid-1996. Its original platform called for it to use equipment provided by one of its partners Tee-Comm Inc for its service, which was to use the Anik E1 satellite for broadcast to its subscribers. A number of equipment problems from Tee-Comm delayed the Expressvu Launch, which was re-scheduled for late 1996. Tee-Comm had previously manufactured equipment for the C-Band industry. In March of 1996, a critical systems failure on Anik E1 caused a near total loss of satellite capacity. This forced Expressvu to announce a further delay into the last quarter of 1996. In October 1996, Expressvu partner Tee-Comm announced plans to sell their share of Expressvu. This ended the equipment partnership and forced a further delay for Expressvu as they now needed to seek out a new source for satellite equipment. In early 1997, Expressvu announced that had reached an agreement with Echostar, the parent company providing equipment for the U.S. Dish Network system. Echostar would provide equipment for the Expressvu Venture.
Expressvu Launches
After numerous delays, Bell Expressvu was finally able to launch an operational services in September of 1997, more than 3 years after it was originally scheduled to launch. Ironically, it was one of the first to receive the go-ahead from the CRTC, however was the third actual entrant into the market, beat by Alphastar Canada (Tee-Comm) and Star Choice several months previous. It was originally marketed at "Dish Network Canada", attempting to take advantage of Dish Network's existing recognition in Canada though gray market sales. It was later renamed "Bell Expressvu", taking advantage of Bells solid brand awareness in Canada.
Satellite Technology
Upon its successful launch, Bell Expressvu had shared capacity with Star Choice aboard the Anik E2 satellite at 107.3° W.L. in
geo-synchronous orbit 22 300 miles above the Earth. It had agreed to vacate Anik E2 upon the successful launch of Canada's first DBS class satellite, Nimiq 1 in mid 1999. Nimiq was successfully launched and in late 1999, Expressvu began shipping new LNBF's to replace the ones designed for the Anik E2 satellite. Expressvu now faced a large task of organizing their dealers to re-equip and re-equip all their existing customers with new LNBF's and the new satellite location at 91° W.L. This was completed in a span of several months and in early 2000, Expressvu vacated Anik E2, which allowed Star Choice to expand their program lineup utilizing the new capacity.
The new satellite meant for more power and a smaller dish, which had shrunk to 18", the same as the U.S. Dish Network system. In December 2002, Canada's second DBS class satellite, Nimiq 2 was launched, achieving a final orbital location at 82° W.L. This allowed Expressvu to further expand their programming lineup. In order to receive programming from the new satellite, subscribers needed to upgrade to a new elliptical 20" dual LNBF dish, which allowed reception from the 2 satellites on one dish.
In 2004, Bell Expressvu acquired use of an older Directv DBS class satellite, which was re-named Nimiq 3 and relocated to the 91° orbital location, to operate with Nimiq 1. This would allow Expressvu to strengthen its reception in Canada by increasing the power on the satellite by removing some active transponders on Nimiq 1 and using Nimiq 3 to transmit these instead. In late 2005, Bell Expressvu purchased the rights to utilize the retired Directv 2 and Directv 3 satellites which it renamed Nimiq 4i and Nimiq 4iR. This would allow Bell Expressvu the use of more satellite capacity while the new Nimiq 4 satellite was being constructed and launched in early 2008. In early 2006 Nimiq 3 was moved to the 82° orbital location to support Nimiq 2. The renamed Nimiq 4i was moved to the 91° location to support Nimiq 1. In April 2007, Nimiq 4i exhausted its fuel supply and was replaced by Nimiq 4iR. The Nimiq 4 launch in early 2008 will replace the Nimiq 4iR satellite.
Bell Expressvu Satellites at a Glance
- Nimiq 1 - 91° W.L.
- Nimiq 4iR - 91° W.L. (To be replaced by Nimiq 4 in 2008)
- Nimiq 2 - 82° W.L.
- Nimiq 3 - 82° W.L.
Broadcast Technology
Expressvu's Digital Broadcast Center, located in North York,
Ontario and consists of a 50 000 sq. ft. building on a 3 acre
site and is one of the only fully integrated direct-to-home (DTH)
broadcast facility of its kind in the world. The National
Broadcast Center houses the company's administrative offices,
business operations, customer service call center, technical
infrastructure and satellite uplink
More information on the history of Canadian digital satellite is available here on our Canadian Satellite Information Page.
Nimiq 1 satellite footprint 91° W.L.
Nimiq 2 satellite footprint 82° W.L.
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08/04/2008 11:20 AM
In order to give the website a better focus, we are phasing out the less popular areas of the site, including the high definition and digital video recorder areas and forums. This will leave the site focused on digital satellite television and satellite radio.
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