The satellite officially known as DIRECTV 7S has been sitting up there in space for fifteen years now, doing its job with a minimum of fuss. Back in 2016, AT&T announced that the satellite would be retiring this year, and that all programming for DIRECTV would be at the 99, 101, and 103 locations. That hasn’t happened yet, although it kind of has. Let’s take a closer look, thanks to those kooky cats at iamanedgecutter.com who monitor all the satellite filings and put them into this helpful list.
Are there any national HD channels left on 119?
Surprisingly there are 3. MegaHD, UniMas, and ESPN Deportes all broadcast their HD feeds on the 119 satellite. However, those channels are also available on another satellite.
Are there any national SD channels left on 119?
There are 104 national broadcasts on the 119 satellite. They’re all foreign language programs and alternative Music Choice channels. The HD versions of these channels are available on another satellite if DIRECTV carries them and the Music Choice channels are as well.
Are there any local HD channels left on 119?
No.
Are there any local SD channels left on 119?
444 channels still have their SD feeds on 119. The HD versions of these channels have moved to another satellite, but viewers in these cities who still haven’t moved to HD equipment will be able to receive some programs:
- Albany
- Albuquerque
- Bakersfield CA
- Baton Rouge
- Buffalo
- Charleston, WV
- Chico, CA
- Corpus Christi
- Dayton
- Des Moines
- Duluth
- El Paso
- Eugene
- Fargo
- Flint
- Fort Myers
- Fresno
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Green Bay
- Greensboro/Roanoke
- Harlingen, TX
- Hartford
- Houston/Tyler, TX
- Indianapolis
- Jackson, MS
- Knoxville
- Lafayette, LA
- Lansing
- Lima, OH
- Little Rock
- Louisville
- Madison
- Mobile/Pensacola
- Monterey, CA
- New Orleans
- Norfolk, CA
- Oklahoma City
- Omaha
- Paducah, KY
- Portland, ME
- Providence
- Raleigh-Durham
- Reno
- Richmond, VA
- Rochester, NY
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Savannah
- Shreveport
- South Bend
- Spokane
- Tallahassee
- Tucson
- Tulsa, OK
- Tyler, TX
- Wichita
- Wilkes-Barre
- Wilmington, NC
- Yakima, WA
Can you get along without 119?
No matter who you are, you can definitely get along without this satellite. If you are installing new service, none of these SD feeds will be important to you. If you have existing service, all you have to do is upgrade your dish and receivers and you’ll get all the channels you always have.
Where did all the channels go?
AT&T has plenty of capacity on its 99 and 103 satellites in the reverse band area. This set of frequencies was originally set aside, anticipating hundreds of 4K channels. When that didn’t happen, a lot of programming from other satellites moved there. International programming that once sat on the 119 satellite, as well as programming for Puerto Rico, now sit on AT&T’s main satellites. In addition, a new satellite at the 101 location looks to be able to take on more channels as well.
What about RV and marine customers?
RV and marine customers can still get programming from AT&T’s 101 satellite location. That isn’t going away, and there’s no published timeline for taking down national channels that reside there. There is now plenty of capacity at 101. Not enough, perhaps, for every HD channel, but enough that taking down the SD channels there isn’t a priority. Those channels are used by RV, marine, and other special market customers.
Get the advice you need
If you’re still using very old DIRECTV equipment, don’t cancel your service. The professionals at Solid Signal can help you get upgraded to the latest and greatest. Your TV will never look better and our team will work to make sure you get exactly the help you need! Contact our 100% US-based tech team at 888-233-7563 or, if it’s after East Coast Business Hours, fill out the form below.
