DIRECTV Plans Monthly Fee for HDTV
Monty Solomon
TVPredictions.com has learned that DIRECTV is planning to launch an
HDTV channel package that would cost approximately $10 a month. The
package would include ESPN HD, HDNet and HDNet Movies, and The
Discovery HD Theater channel.
Robert Mercer, a DIRECTV spokesman, confirmed late Thursday (April
24) that the satcaster is considering launching a monthly package
of HD channels. The monthly fee would be big news because
non-premium HDTV channels -- until now -- have been available for
free on DIRECTV.
John Higdon
<mo...@roscom.com> wrote:
> Robert Mercer, a DIRECTV spokesman, confirmed late Thursday (April
> 24) that the satcaster is considering launching a monthly package
> of HD channels. The monthly fee would be big news because
> non-premium HDTV channels -- until now -- have been available for
> free on DIRECTV.
Popular services don't stay "free" for very long. The question is
whether such fees constitute another impediment to the rather
unimpressive rate of adoption by the public of HDTV.
John Higdon | Email Address Valid | SF: +1 415 428-COWS
+1 408 264 4115 | Anytown, USA | FAX: +1 408 264 4407
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: No, they sure don't stay free for very
long. Consider Mail Washer as an example. This handy dandy spam
fighting tool was free for the longest time, then the guy who wrote
it must have sold it to another company which now gives you exactly
thirty days to make up your mind what you are going to do, then pay
$30.00 or give it up. Unlike some spam fighters which toss out the
stuff *they* define as spam (invariably losing some you want in the
process), Mail Washer hands it all over to you as single one line
entries on your screen with a place to check off what is spam and
what you want to blacklist forever. I go click, click, click through
my personal mailbox account (as spam ridden as any you have ever seen)
and it all disappears then and there. Mail Washer bounces it back
to the sender right from the POP server. And believe me, after months
of clicking and bouncing, you do eventually start to see a reduction
in the spam level. PAT]
Gary Breuckman
> believe me, after months of clicking and bouncing, you do eventually
> start to see a reduction in the spam level. PAT]
This is, I believe, wishful thinking on your part :) - at least in
reference to bounces. Maybe it learns locally and so you see less.
Bounces NEVER (well, mostly never) go back to the originator, they are
all sent with fictitious FROM addresses. The only time the spammer
might notice bounces are when the email is immediately rejected by the
ESMTP host system, such as with "User unknown" -- the host never
accepts the message, cuts them off in midstream with an error after
seeing the recipient header.
In many cases, though, including your example, your ISP's host will accept
the mail. It will try to send a bounce message later, but of course that
never gets to the sender.
Gary Breuckman
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You are correct if we make the
assumption that all spam comes from forged, nonsensical addressses.
However, I see quite a bit from addresses that are good -- I just
don't want the mail because it is crappy nonsense. *I know* a lot of
the spam is going to just bounce off to somewhere and float around
then get bashed; but bashed by someone other than me. It is just
easier (as Mail Washer allows) to tap the mouse once and bash a
piece of mail 'bouncing' it somewhere so it is out of my hair. Its
like the old saying it is better to light a candle (even if it barely
gives any light at all) rather than curse the darkness. If I let all
that spam overload my Outlook Express inbox then had to go back and
delete it all to the 'deleted' box then go again to the deleted box
and say I want to get rid of it and then confirm that I wanted to
get rid of it, thats 3 or 4 mouse clicks where I can make one click
do it all, and if some of it accidentally reaches the true sender so
much the better. PAT]