While still not happy with current DBS offerings in its area, the State of Hawaii nonetheless encouraged the Federal Communications Commission to adopt rules allowing some non-conforming uses of DBS spectrum as long as they didn't impact already limited satellite service in its region.
Western slots can deliver expanded coverage to both Hawaii and Alaska.
Since the commission's creation of the DBS service, the people of the State of Hawaii have been underserved. Hawaii has been looking forward to DBS service as a means to provide competition to the cable industry and as a means of making available a variety of telecommunications services to the state. The state's experience to date with the provision of DBS has been extremely disappointing. Hawaii's comments come in response to a filing EchoStar made on DBS non-conforming rules, which if liberalized or eliminated may allow DBS providers to use their spectrum for alternative services, such as data delivery. The company also criticized Hawaii officials.