The satcaster said the satellite was successfully released into geosynchronous transfer orbit during the morning.

Dish did not say when the new satellite would be operational, but it usually takes roughly 3-5 months. Dish CEO Charlie Ergen will not wait, however. He recently told his subscribers in a televised chat that Dish would add more HD channels next month.

Also see:
Consumer Reports: 'Best Buys' For HDTVs

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