VOOM was a direct broadcast satellite television provider serving the United States. It was a competitor to the established DirecTV and DISH Network systems. VOOM was operated by Rainbow DBS Company , a subsidiary of Cablevision. In 2004, the organization promoted itself by advertising that it had more high definition television channels available than its competitors.

Service was broadcast via the Rainbow-1 communications satellite, which was built by Lockheed Martin and launched on July 17, 2003. The satellite carries video streamed in both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 video formats.

In early 2005, VOOM's parent company Cablevision announced it would seek "strategic alternatives" for Rainbow Media Enterprises , the business unit that contains its VOOM satellite service, leaving the future of VOOM questionable. After a bitter dispute in the boardroom, Charles Dolan (the founder of Cablevision) ousted 3 boardroom members who pushed for the extinction of Voom.

Dolan had until March 31st to arrange for Voom's assets to be purchased. When that deadline passed, Cablevision's board proceeded to shut VOOM down. The service will no longer be available after April 30, 2005. Cablevision may make some of the twenty-one HDTV channels available to other providers in the future, but as of April 15,2005, there are no specific plans for them.

See also: list of direct broadcast satellite providers

External links

• VOOM homepage
• AP News : Cablevision to Shut Down Voom