DIRECTV to Add 44 Local HD Markets

Somewhat lost among the salvos being launched between DIRECTV and DISH Network this week was a significant expansion announces in the local HD market. DIRECTV announced that they would be adding 44 additional television markets to their local HD lineup.

DIRECTV will be able to add the new market with the increased capacity that will soon be available on their new satellite. Their recently launched DIRECTV 11 satellite will soon be fully operational, allowing them the capacity for up to 150 National HD channels as well as additional local HD programming. Their next satellite, DIRECTV 12 is scheduled to launch in early 2009, expanding capacity up to 200 national high definition channels and up to 1,500 local HD and digital channels.

Here is the list released by DIRECTV on the markets expected to have local HD programming in the months ahead. We will update this site as the actual HD programming begins.

Augusta, Georgia

Harrisonburg, VA

Bangor, Maine

La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Baton Rouge, LA

Little Rock-Pine Bluff, AR

Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX

Lincoln-Hastings, Nebraska

Boise, ID

Macon, GA

Burlington, Vt.-Plattsburgh, New York

Mobile AL-Pensacola, FL

Butte-Bozeman, Montana

Myrtle Beach-Florence, S.C.

Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, Illinios

Norfolk-Newport News, Virginai

Charleston, S.C.

Palm Springs, California

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Peoria-Bloomington, Illinois

Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Colorado

Richmond-Petersburg, Virginia

Columbia-Jefferson City, Missouri

Rockford, Illinois

Davenport, Iowa-Rock Island, Ill., Moline, Ill.

Rochester, N.Y.

Dayton, Ohio

Savannah, Georgia

Des Moines-Ames, Iowa

Sioux Falls, S.D.

Dothan, Alabama

South Bend-Elkhart, Indiana

El Paso, Texas

Springfield-Holyoke, Mass

Evansville, Indiana

Syracuse, N.Y.

Fort Smith, Arkansas

Tallahassee, Florida

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Toledo, Ohio

Greenville-New Bern-Washington, N.C.

Traverse City-Cadillac, Mich.

Harlingen-Brownsville, Texas

Youngstown, Ohio

With the expansion listed above, DIRECTV will have a local HD reach in 121 markets representing 88 percent of US television household.  There is a $9.99 HD access fee per month to receive DIRECTV HD, and other equipment requirements apply as well.