|
- 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.
|
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.
|
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.
|
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.
|
 |
 |
Chuck
NBC
8:00 pm ET
Chuck and Hannah (Zachary Levi, guest star Kristin Kreuk) unexpectedly become part of Agent Shaw's (guest star Brandon Routh) latest mission, while Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) is irritated by Shaw's attempts to get close to her. Morgan and Ellie (Joshua Gomez, Sarah Lancaster) continue their mission to get to the bottom of Chuck's strange behavior. Adam Baldwin also stars in the new episode "Chuck Versus the Mask."
Life Unexpected
CW
9:00 pm ET
Cate (Shiri Appleby) tries to get Lux (Britt Robertson) a second chance after she is suspended from school, but a meeting with Principal Dugan (guest star Merrilyn Gann) may just have made matters worse. Baze (Kristoffer Polaha) gets his feathers ruffled when he learns that Cate and Ryan (Kerr Smith) are hosting a radio station event at the bar across the street in the new episode "Bong Intercepted."
Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City
PBS
10:00 pm ET
Filmmaker Aaron Woolf explores how the city of Detroit -- which currently stands as a bleak symbol of America's diminished status in the world -- may well come to symbolize the future of progress transportation in America. The program also visits Spain, home of an impressively modern transit system, and California, where voters recently approved a high-speed rail system.
Armageddon
FXEAST
7:00 pm ET
Earth is menaced by a ginormous asteroid the size of Texas in this 1998 thriller, but fear not! Oil driller Bruce Willis and his team of experts are just itching to zoom up to the extraterrestrial interloper and blow it to smithereens. Of course, after 15 minutes or so of this relentlessly loud, aggressively stupid waste of celluloid, the option of asteroid-induced oblivion starts to sound pretty sweet. Liv Tyler and Ben Affleck co-star.
Money Train
SPIKE
7:00 pm ET
There's no denying Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes ("White Men Can't Jump") are great together. But they should have stuck to basketball. Not even their chemistry can redeem this 1995 tale of two foster brothers who work as New York transit cops. Harrelson's character, a compulsive gambler, is in debt up to his eyebrows and decides the answer to his problem is to rob the train that collects the subway fares. And did we mention they're both lusting after a colleague played by J.Lo? Really.
One Tree Hill
CW
8:00 pm ET
As the movie shoot begins, Brooke and Julian (Sophia Bush, Austin Nichols) strive to balance their personal lives with work. Clay (Robert Buckley) offers support to Quinn (Shantel VanSanten) as she faces some unexpected news. Haley and Nathan (Bethany Joy Galeotti, James Lafferty) get a surprise visit. Alex (Jana Kramer) sets her cap for Alexander (guest star Mitch Ryan) in the new episode "My Attendance Is Bad but My Intentions Are Good."
Heroes
NBC
9:00 pm ET
Everyone bands together to try to stop Samuel (Robert Knepper) from taking the lives of thousands. Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) teams with an unexpected ally to save Emma (guest star Deanne Bray). H.R.G.'s (Jack Coleman) life hangs in the balance as he and Claire (Hayden Panettiere) are trapped underground. Hiro (Masi Oka) comes to grips with decisions he has made in the season finale, "Brave New World."
Inside the Border Warriors
NGC
9:00 pm ET
This series follows the Shadow Wolves, an elite unit of American Indian federal agents working to stop drug smugglers crossing into the United States via an Arizona reservation. They collaborate with other law enforcement agencies and meet with concerned tribal residents in a concerted effort to restrict the swelling amount of contraband coming over the border in the new episode "Ground Zero."
Intervention
A&E
9:00 pm ET
Marquel, a fitness instructor, seems to have the perfect life, but her family has started to worry that she is an exercise addict, bulimic and alcoholic after a series of hospitalizations. Her relatives turn to Candy for help in planning an intervention in this new episode.
Kell on Earth
BRAVO
10:00 pm ET
When you fall off the horse, get right back on. That's what Kelly does in this new episode after the problems with the Chado Ralph Rucci show. She's determined to make the next event go smoothly, and a successful presentation for a new client helps her get her groove back. The same can't be said for Stephanie, one of her employees, who's having trouble dealing with all the pressure of Fashion Week in "The Show Must Go On."
Julia
TCM
10:15 pm ET
Based on Lillian Hellman's memoir, this 1977 film explores the powerful relationship between the playwright (Jane Fonda) and her lifelong friend, Julia (Vanessa Redgrave). A brilliant intellectual, Julia comes of age in Nazi Germany, where she becomes active in the Resistance. Redgrave won an Oscar for her performance.
NBA Basketball
TNT
10:30 pm ET
A clash of Western Conference titans is on tap tonight at Staples Center when the Pacific-leading Los Angeles Lakers welcome the San Antonio Spurs, at this writing the second-place team in the Southwest. The Lakers hope a return to health will yield a better result than their last meeting with the Spurs, when injuries to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol slowed L.A. enough to produce a 105-85 San Antonio win down Alamo way on Jan. 12.
|
 |
|
|
