Satellite television in the United States

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U.S. residential satellite TV receiver dishes

In 2017, there were two primary satellite television providers of subscription based service available to United States consumers: DirecTV and Dish Network, which have 21 and 10 million subscribers respectively.[1][2] A 2021 Pew Research Center survey found that the percentage of American adults that reported having a cable or satellite television subscription fell from 76% in 2015 to 56% in 2021,[3] while a 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that only 36% of American adults reported having a cable or satellite television subscription.[4]

## 1970s

[edit]

In December 1975, RCA created Satcom 1, the first satellite built especially for use by the then three national television networks (CBS, NBC, and ABC). Later that same year, HBO leased a transponder on Satcom 1 and began transmission of television programs via satellite to cable systems. Owners of cable systems paid $10,000 to install 3-meter dishes to receive TV signals in C band. In 1976 Taylor Howard built an amateur system, which consisted of a converted military surplus radar dish and a satellite receiver designed and built by Howard, for home satellite reception. Taylor's system could be used for receiving TV programs both from American and Soviet communication satellites. In 1977 Pat Robertson launched the first satellite-delivered basic cable service called the CBN Cable Network. In 1979, the Satellite Home Viewers Act allowed homeowners in the United States to both own and operate their own home satellite system, consisting of C-band equipment from a multitude of manufacturers who were making parts for systems such as Taylor Howard's, and began a large controversy of which channels could be received by whom.

## 1980s

[edit]

USSB was a direct-to-home service founded in 1981. In the early 1990s, they partnered with Hughes and continued operation until purchased in 1998 by DirecTV.

## 1990s

[edit]

In November 1990, Primestar launched as the first North American direct-broadcast satellite service. Hughes's DirecTV, the first national high-powered upper Ku-band satellite TV system, went online in 1994. The DirecTV system became the new delivery vehicle for USSB. In 1996, EchoStar's Dish Network went online in the United States and has gone on to similar success as DirecTV's primary competitor. The AlphaStar service launched in 1996 and went into bankruptcy in 1997. Primestar sold its assets to Hughes in 1999. Dominion Video Satellite Inc's Sky Angel also went online in the United States in 1996 with its satellite TV service geared towards "faith and family" until they sold the license to EchoStar Communications Corporation in 2008 and switched to an IPTV platform.

## 2000s

[edit]

In 2004, Cablevision's Voom service went online, specifically catering to the emerging market of HDTV owners and aficionados, but folded in April 2005. The service's "exclusive" high-definition channels were migrated to the Dish Network system. Commercial satellite TV services are the primary competition to cable television service, although the two types of service have significantly different regulatory requirements (for example, cable television has public access requirements, and the two types of distribution have different regulations regarding carriage of local stations).

90cm multiple-LNA toroidal satellite dish

The majority of ethnic-language broadcasts in North America are carried on Ku band free-to-air. The largest concentration of free-to-air programming is on Galaxy 19 at 97° W. Pittsburgh International Telecommunications and GlobeCast World TV offers a mix of free and pay-TV ethnic channels in the internationally standard DVB-S and S2 formats, as do others. Home2US Communications Inc. also offers several ethnic channels on SES 1 at 101° W, as well as other free and pay-TV channels. Many religious broadcasters reach the DTH and distribution markets with unencrypted DVB-S television and radio channels on Galaxy 19. These channels are available as part of the Glorystar Satellite Service. Several U.S.-English language network affiliates (representing CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, FOX, the CW (formerly the WB and UPN), ION Network and MyNetworkTV) are available as free-to-air broadcasts, as are the three U.S.-Spanish language networks (Univisión, Unimás and Telemundo). The number of free-to-air specialty channels is otherwise rather limited. Specific FTA offerings tend to appear and disappear rather often and typically with little or no notice, although sites such as LyngSat do track the changing availability of both free and pay channels worldwide.[5]

On October 7, 2009, NAB TV Board chair Paul Karpowicz planned to testify before the Senate Communications Subcommittee that broadcasters would be willing to allow subscribers of distant signals to continue to do so even if the digital transition resulted in those subscribers receiving stations that they could not before. The NAB did oppose offering new distant signals if a digital signal was available. The Satellite TV Modernization Act had to be passed by the end of 2009. The House bill also allowed Dish Network to offer distant signals.[6] On November 5, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy said he hoped for a "short-time agreement" on the bill passed out of committee September 24. If the Senate approves, the House will have to approve the bill, and if the two versions cannot be reconciled, the license to import signals that expires at the end of the year could be extended.[7] The House version included an agreement with Echostar that, where possible, all 210 markets could receive signals, and Echostar could once again deliver distant signals.

On November 19, 2009, the Senate Commerce Committee approved a version of the bill, without an amendment requiring local signals in all markets in three years, though a study would be conducted on why 30 markets still had a problem. Before Senate approval, the two versions of the bill would have to be reconciled; the Judiciary Committee had a short market fix, while the Commerce committee bill required PBS in HD sooner.[8]

On December 3, 2009, the House approved the Satellite Home Viewer Reauthorization Act. It included both the House Commerce Committee and House Judiciary Committee versions and renewed the ability to use distant signals for five years, allowed Dish Network to offer distant signals again, and required 28 markets to receive signals not available locally. The bill also dealt with some copyright issues and required Dish Network to offer HD non-commercial signals by 2011 instead of 2013.[9]

One potential problem:[clarify] determining who cannot receive a signal is still based on analog rather than digital TV.[10]

## 2010s

[edit]

On February 11, 2010, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the satellite reauthorization was part of a jobs bill[clarification needed]. Rick Boucher, House chairman for communications and the Internet, believed the bill would pass. The deadline is March, since it has been extended 60 days.[11] Sen. Jim Bunning blocked the legislation in the Senate on Feb. 25, even though it passed the House.[12] On March 1, 2010, The Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010, scheduled to expire in 2014, became part of a jobs bill with help from Sen. Patrick Leahy.[13]

## See also

[edit]

* Television portal
* United States portal

* Big Three television networks
* Cable television in the United States
* Communications in the United States
* Fourth television network
* High-definition television in the United States
* List of television stations in the United States
* List of United States pay television channels
* List of United States over-the-air television networks
* List of United States television markets
* Television in the United States
* Television news in the United States
* United States cable news

## References

[edit]

1. ^ AT&T Loses Record Number of Traditional TV Subscribers in Q2, Drops 156,000 DirecTV Satellite Customers \- Todd Spanger, Variety, 25 July 2017
2. ^ Dish Posts Gains In Total Pay TV Subs, Net Income \- Wayne Friedman, MediaPost, 22 February 2017
3. ^ Rainie, Lee (March 17, 2021). "Cable and satellite TV use has dropped dramatically in the U.S. since 2015". Pew Research Center. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
4. ^ Park, Eugenie; McClain, Colleen (July 1, 2025). "83% of U.S. adults use streaming services, far fewer subscribe to cable or satellite TV". Pew Research Center. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
5. ^ LyngSat tracking
6. ^ Eggerton, John (2009-10-06). "NAB Won't Oppose Some Grandfathering Of Distant Signals". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
7. ^ Eggerton, John (2009-11-05). "Leahy Looks for 'Short-Time' Agreement on Satellite Reauthorization". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
8. ^ Eggerton, John (2009-11-19). "Senate Passes Satellite Reauthorization Bill". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
9. ^ Eggerton, John (2009-12-03). "SHVRA Passes Convincingly in House". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
10. ^ Eggerton, John (2009-12-15). "Satellite Bill Extension Said To Be On Table In House". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
11. ^ Eggerton, John (2010-02-11). "Senate Version of Satellite Bill Hits Hill". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
12. ^ Eggerton, John (2010-02-26). "Senate Fails To Pass Satellite License Bill Extension". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
13. ^ "Extension of satellite TV licenses included in proposed jobs legislation". vermontbiz.com. 2010-03-01. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

* v
* t
* e

Television in the United States

Stations and networks|

* Over-the-air television networks
* ABC
* CBS
* NBC
* Fox
* Stations
* Cable and satellite
* Networks
* High-definition
* Channels

Awards and events|

* Emmy Awards
* Primetime
* Daytime
* Children's & Family
* International
* Sports
* News & Documentary
* Technology & Engineering
* Sylvania Award
* Directors Guild of America Awards
* Producers Guild of America Awards
* Writers Guild of America Awards
* Golden Globes
* Screen Actors Guild Awards
* TCA Awards
* Critics' Choice TV Award
* Peabody Awards
* People's Choice Awards
* NAACP Image Awards
* Eddie Awards
* Artios Awards
* American Society of Cinematographers Awards
* Humanitas Prize
* ADG Excellence in Production Design Awards
* Hugo Awards
* Visual Effects Society Awards
* Golden Reel Award
* GLAAD Media Awards
* MTV Movie & TV Awards
* MTV Fandom Awards

Organizations|

* Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
* Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
* American Society of Cinematographers
* Directors Guild of America
* Federal Communications Commission
* Motion Picture Association
* National Association of Broadcasters
* National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
* National Cable & Telecommunications Association
* Paley Center for Media
* Producers Guild of America
* SAG-AFTRA
* Writers Guild of America
* East
* West

History|

* Prewar broadcasting
* Golden Age
* Network era
* Multi-channel transition
* New Golden Age
* Post-network era
* Streaming wars
* History by decade

* v
* t
* e

Cable, satellite, and other specialty television providers (multi-channel video programming distributors) in the United States

Cable|

* Adams Cable
* Altice USA
* Optimum
* Suddenlink Communications
* Service Electric
* Armstrong
* Astound Broadband
* Grande Communications
* RCN Corporation
* Wave Broadband
* AT&T Alascom
* Blue Ridge Communications
* Blue Stream
* Breezeline
* Broadstripe
* Buckeye Broadband
* Cable One
* Hargray
* Comcast Xfinity
* Consolidated Communications
* Cox Communications
* Docomo Pacific
* Emery Telcom
* Full Channel
* GCI
* Mediacom
* Midco
* Northland Communications
* Liberty Puerto Rico
* Satview Broadband
* Shentel
* Spectrum
* SRT Communications
* TDS Telecom
* Troy Cablevision
* TruVista Communications
* WOW!

Satellite|

* Claro Puerto Rico
* Dish Network
* DirecTV
* Glorystar
* Headend in the Sky

Fiber
/ IPTV|

* Cincinnati Bell Fioptics
* Claro
* Consolidated Communications
* EPB
* Frontier FiberOptic
* GTA Teleguam
* Hawaiian Telcom
* Midco
* NEP Datastream TV
* North State Communications
* Sonic.net
* TDS Telecom
* Verizon FiOS
* Whidbey Telecom
* Windstream Kinetic
* Ziply Fiber

Virtual
MVPD|

* DirecTV Stream
* Frndly TV
* FuboTV
* Hulu + Live TV
* Philo
* Sling TV
* Spectrum TV Stream
* Xfinity Flex
* YouTube TV

Over-
the-top
VOD|

* A&E Networks
* Crime Central
* History Vault
* Lifetime Movie Club
* Amazon
* Prime Video
* MGM+
* Freevee
* ScreenPix
* AMC Networks
* Acorn TV
* AMC+
* Hidive
* IFC Films Unlimited
* Shudder
* Sundance Now
* Allblk
* WE TV+
* Angel Studios
* Apple TV+
* BritBox
* Brown Sugar
* BroadwayHD
* Cineverse
* CONtv
* Docurama
* Dove Channel
* Fandor
* Screambox
* The Criterion Channel
* Curiosity Stream
* CW Seed
* Dekkoo
* Disney
* Disney+
* Hulu
* ESPN+
* DOGTV
* Dropout
* Eros Now
* Facebook Watch
* FilmRise
* Fox Corporation
* Fox Nation
* Tubi
* Hallmark+
* Here TV
* Kino Lorber
* MHz Choice
* Kino Film Collection
* Kocowa
* Local Now
* MUBI
* Netflix
* NBCUniversal
* Peacock
* Vudu
* Xumo
* NFL+
* Paramount Global
* BET+
* Paramount+
* Noggin
* Pluto TV
* Showtime
* Racetrack Television Network
* Redbox
* Revry
* Roku Channel
* Sony
* Crunchyroll
* Samsung TV Plus
* Shout! Factory TV
* Starz
* Stirr
* Univision
* Pantaya
* Univision NOW
* ViX
* Tivo Stream 4k
* Topic
* UFC Fight Pass
* Viaplay
* Viki
* ViX
* Warner Bros. Discovery
* Boomerang
* Cinemax
* Discovery+
* Food Network Kitchen
* Max
* Rooster Teeth
* WOW Presents Plus
* WWE Network
* YuppTV

Defunct|

| Cable|

* Adelphia Communications Corporation
* Alameda Power and Telecom
* Astound Broadband
* AT&T Broadband
* MediaOne/Continental Cablevision
* Tele-Communications Inc.
* Baja Broadband
* US Cable
* Bresnan Communications
* Bright House Networks
* Cablevision
* Champion Broadband
* Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment
* Crackle
* Popcornflix
* Cobridge Communications
* Community Home Entertainment
* FairPoint Communications
* Graceba Total Communications
* Insight Communications
* Jones Intercable
* King Videocable
* Knology
* Marcus Cable
* NPG Cable
* Paragon Cable
* Rapid Communications
* TelePrompTer/Group W Cable
* Time Warner Cable
* UA-Columbia Cablevision
* Windjammer Communications

|

Satellite|

* AlphaStar
* GlobeCast World TV
* Orby TV
* PrimeStar
* United States Satellite Broadcasting
* Voom HD Networks

IPTV|

* AT&T U-verse
* Lumen Prism TV
* Google Fiber TV
* Sky Angel
* Virtual Digital Cable

Terrestrial|

* USDTV
* MovieBeam

Virtual MVPD|

* Aereo
* HD HomeRun Premium TV
* LocalBTV
* Locast
* TVision Live TV+
* PlayStation Vue
* Vidgo

Over-the-top|

* Anime Network
* CNN+
* Comedy Central Now
* DC Universe
* DramaFever
* FilmStruck
* Funimation
* FX+
* go90
* MTV Hits
* NickHits
* Quibi
* Seeso
* Smithsonian Channel Plus
* SnagFilms

* v
* t
* e

Additional resources on North American television

North America|

* List of local television stations in North America
* DTV transition
* North American TV mini-template

Canada|

* Canadian networks
* List of Canadian television networks
* List of Canadian television channels
* List of Canadian specialty channels
* Local Canadian TV stations
* List of United States stations available in Canada
* 2001 Vancouver TV realignment
* 2007 Canada broadcast TV realignment

Mexico|

* Mexican networks
* Local Mexican TV stations

United States|

* American networks
* List of American cable and satellite networks
* List of American over-the-air networks
* Local American TV stations (W)
* Local American TV stations (K)
* Spanish-language TV networks
* 1989 South Florida television affiliation switch
* 1994–1996 U.S. TV realignment
* 2006 U.S. TV realignment
* List of Canadian television stations available in the United States

* Middle East, Africa, Asia and Oceania
* Americas
* Europe

* v
* t
* e

Federal Communications Commission

* Brendan Carr (since 2017)
* Anna M. Gomez (since 2023)
* Olivia Trusty (since 2025)
* 2 seats vacant

Chairs|

* Eugene O. Sykes (1934–35)
* Anning Smith Prall (1935–37)
* Frank R. McNinch (1937–39)
* James Lawrence Fly (1939–44)
* E. K. Jett (1944)
* Paul A. Porter (1944–46)
* Charles R. Denny (1946–47)
* Paul A. Walker (1947)
* Wayne Coy (1947–52)
* Paul A. Walker (1952–53)
* Rosel H. Hyde (1953–54)
* George McConnaughey (1954–57)
* John C. Doerfer (1957–60)
* Frederick W. Ford (1960–61)
* Newton N. Minow (1961–63)
* E. William Henry (1963–66)
* Rosel H. Hyde (1966–69)
* Dean Burch (1969–74)
* Richard E. Wiley (1974–77)
* Charles D. Ferris (1977–81)
* Robert Lee (1981)
* Mark S. Fowler (1981–87)
* Dennis R. Patrick (1987–89)
* Alfred C. Sikes (1989–93)
* James Henry Quello (1993)
* Reed Hundt (1993–97)
* William Kennard (1997–2001)
* Michael Powell (2001–05)
* Kevin Martin (2005–09)
* Michael Copps (2009)
* Julius Genachowski (2009–13)
* Mignon Clyburn (2013)
* Tom Wheeler (2013–17)
* Ajit Pai (2017–21)
* Jessica Rosenworcel (2021–25)
* Brendan Carr (since 2025)

Statutory
authority
(Title 47 USC)|

* Communications Act of 1934
* Brinkley Act
* All-Channel Receiver Act (1962)
* Communications Satellite Act of 1962
* Public Broadcasting Act of 1967
* Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984
* Satellite Home Viewer Act (1988)
* Children's Television Act (1990)
* Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991
* Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992
* Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (1994)
* Telecommunications Act of 1996
* Communications Decency Act
* Section 230
* Child Online Protection Act (1998)
* Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act (1999)
* Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005
* Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005
* Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005
* Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006
* Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act (2008)
* Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009
* Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (2010)
* Local Community Radio Act (2010)
* Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010

Regulations
and policies
(Title 47 CFR)|

* Title 47 CFR Part 15
* Title 47 CFR Part 68
* Title 47 CFR Part 97

| Broadcast
licensing
and facilities|

* 1978 Broadcast Policy Statement on minority ownership
* 2008 United States wireless spectrum auction
* Ancillary Terrestrial Component
* Antenna structure registration
* AWS-3 auction
* Broadcast call signs
* Broadcast flag
* Broadcast license
* Broadcast range
* Broadcasting duopoly
* Carriage dispute
* City of license
* Class A television service
* Clear-channel station
* Comparative hearing
* Dark and silent stations
* Dispersal of ownership
* Facility ID
* FM Non-Duplication Rule (1964–86)
* Frequency coordinator
* Local marketing agreement
* MVDDS
* dispute
* Program test authority
* Public file
* Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
* Reference distance
* Rimshot broadcasting
* Significantly viewed signals permitted to be carried
* Special temporary authority
* United States National Radio Quiet Zone
* White spaces

|

Broadcasting
content and
programming|

* Actionable indecency
* Broadcasting watershed
* Emergency Alert System
* Equal-time rule
* Family Viewing Hour
* Fairness doctrine (1949–87)
* Financial Interest and Syndication Rules (1970–93)
* Fleeting expletive
* Government-access television
* Mayflower doctrine (1941–49)
* Must-carry
* Non-commercial educational station
* Personal attack rule
* Pervasiveness doctrine
* Prime Time Access Rule
* Public-access television
* Retransmission consent
* Seven dirty words
* Syndication exclusivity
* Zapple doctrine (1970–2014)

Telephone and
the Internet|

* Carterfone decision
* Comparably efficient interconnection
* Competitive local exchange carrier
* Emergency telephone number
* Enhanced 911
* FCC Computer Inquiries
* Second Computer Inquiry
* FCC mark
* FCC registration program
* Feature group
* FCC Open Internet Order
* Incumbent local exchange carrier
* Lifeline program
* National Broadband Plan
* National Do Not Call Registry
* Personal Communications Service
* Basic Trading Areas
* Telecommunications Service Priority
* Priority level
* Total element long run incremental cost
* Traffic pumping
* Universal Licensing System
* Universal Service Fund
* E-Rate

Litigation|

| Supreme Court|

* FCC v. Sanders Brothers Radio Station (1940)
* National Broadcasting Co. v. United States (1943)
* United States v. Southwestern Cable Co. (1968)
* Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC (1969)
* FCC v. Pacifica Foundation (1978)
* CBS, Inc. v. FCC (1981)
* Sable Communications of California v. FCC (1989)
* Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. FCC (1990)
* Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. v. FCC (1994)
* Verizon Communications Inc. v. FCC (2002)
* Nixon v. Missouri Municipal League (2004)
* National Cable & Telecommunications Ass'n v. Brand X Internet Services (2005)
* FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc. (2009)
* FCC v. AT&T Inc. (2011)
* FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc. (2012)
* FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project (2021)

|

Other
federal cases|

* Hush-A-Phone Corp. v. United States (1956)
* American Radio Relay League, Inc. v. FCC (1980)
* Schurz Communications, Inc. v. FCC (1992)
* Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod v. FCC (1998)
* SBC Communications, Inc. v. FCC (1998)
* Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Ass'n v. FCC (2001)
* United States Telecom Association v. FCC (2004)
* Comcast Corp. v. FCC (2010)
* Verizon Communications Inc. v. FCC (2014)
* Tennessee v. FCC (2016)
* Mozilla Corp. v. FCC (2019)
* Prometheus Radio Project v. FCC (2019)
* Consumers' Research v. FCC (2023)

Agency
publications|

* Report on Chain Broadcasting (1941)
* Blue Book (1946)
* FCC Record (1986–)

Advisory
committees|

* FCC Network Study Committee
* Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Telecommunications Services
* North American Numbering Council
* Spectrum Task Force
* Technical Advisory Council

Predecessor
agencies|

* Interstate Commerce Commission
* Mann–Elkins Act
* Radio Act of 1912
* Kingsbury Commitment
* Willis Graham Act
* Federal Radio Commission
* Radio Act of 1927
* Davis Amendment
* General Order 32
* General Order 40
* Grand Island FCC Monitoring Station

Related|

* AllVid
* Broadband.gov
* Broadcasting in the United States
* Radio
* FM broadcasting
* Television
* Cable television
* Digital television
* Digital television transition
* High-definition television
* Multichannel television
* Satellite television
* Communications in the United States
* "FCC Song"
* Federal Communications Bar Association
* History of the telephone in the United States
* Howard Stern Show fines
* Internet in the United States
* Leased access
* Local franchise authority
* Media cross-ownership in the United States
* Modem tax
* National Exchange Carrier Association
* Net neutrality in the United States
* Open spectrum
* "PTV"
* RM-2493
* Security Control of Air Traffic and Air Navigation Aids
* Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
* Telecommunications policy of the United States
* Telegraphy in the United States
* "Television and the Public Interest"
* Wireless Ship Act of 1910

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