DISH Network made a huge jump in the latest ACSI (American Customer Satisfaction Index) survey, leapfrogging DIRECTV to take the top spot overall – well sort of. Here is how the latest DISH Network ratings shook out in comparison to DIRECTV and cable providers.

The DISH Network score of 71 in the survey was the top ranking among all cable and satellite TV providers. DIRECTV dropped a few points and came in with a score of 68 compared to a 2009 score of 71. The numbers have DISH Network beating DIRECTV for the first time since 2005, at least according to this customer satisfaction survey.

DISH Network was quick to pound their chest in regard to the good news. In a press release dated May 18th, Dish claimed to be number 1 in customer satisfaction among satellite and cable companies. While that statement was technically true, two other companies actually beat DISH Network according to the ACSI survey – AT&T and Verizon.

The key to DISH Network’s claim comes into play with the phrase “satellite and cable companies.” While all companies considered to be cable and satellite TV including Comcast, Cox cable, Charter, and Time Warner along with DIRECTV fell behind Dish, the other two are consider Telco TV companies.   AT&T Uverse came in with a score of 72, while Verizon FiOS was the actual winner of this year’s survey with a score of 73.

With 5 million video customers between them, AT&T and Verizon are certainly viable players in the pay television market. Those numbers will only increase over the next five years as each company continues to build out their TV network. Still the latest DISH Network ratings show a strong turnaround for the company that was lagging badly behind the competition just a year ago.

According to the surveys comments, one reason DISH Network enjoyed higher satisfaction ratings was due to a more aggressive pricing strategy. While DIRECTV raised prices across the board on all packages earlier this year, DISH Network held the line on package prices. Instead, some DISH Network customers who had multiple DVRs including HD DVR models saw price hikes in this area. Overall, fewer Dish customers felt the pain this year when it came to price increases.

DISH Network ratings were also higher than the top cable TV companies, though cable operators did improve over their 2009 performance. Cox cable was the leader among cable operators once again with a score of 67, while the largest cable companies Time Warner and Comcast each scored an ACSI score of 61 which was a 3% gain over last year.

While I have run this blog for a few years now, I haven’t yet knocked out an honest to goodness DIRECTV review.  Many of the “reviews” on this site  are primarily informational in nature – talking about pricing, content, and availability of different cable and satellite services.  Since DIRECTV is currently the service I have and use, here are a few thoughts on what I like and don’t like about the satellite service.

First up in my DIRECTV review I will go back to the initial setup.  DIRECTV was sort of my second choice in that I lived in an area served by Qwest where they offered their “Choice TV” service.  This was an IPTV product which was discontinued, so I was basically forced to pick a new provider or I was going to have to go without cable TV service. In my area, the cable company was/is Comcast, and while I have had their service in the past it was really time to see what satellite TV was all about especially since I was also in the market for my first HDTV.

That of course meant going with either DIRECTV or Dish Network.  My local phone and DSL carrier is Qwest, and they are a partner with DIRECTV as well, so that sort of sealed the deal.  I placed my order and patiently waited for installation day.

Installation day came, and I was promised a morning appointment.   Time seems to really grind to a halt when you are waiting for the cable or satellite guy, and of course I was not first on his list.  Around 11 am I got a call that he was heading my way.  Then around 11:45 he calls to say he doesn’t have an important tool that helps him point the satellite dish correctly, and has to go to the other side of town to get it.  Finally, he gets to my house around 2:30.  So much for my day…..

Installation takes about an hour and a half as he mounts the satellite dish, drops a DIRECTV HR21 DVR in the living room, and a standard receiver up in the loft for the kids television set.  Though I don’t have my HDTV set yet, I notice immediately the picture quality improves on my current setup.

I went with the Choice Xtra package with DVR, and still have it to this day.  While I initially did not have HD on the account, it was simple and quick to add a few months later when I did get my Panasonic HDTV.    I have tried out the Premier package as well, and while it certainly offers much more content, I just don’t watch enough of it to justify the cost.  One thing to be aware of is that if you do switch to the Premier package, you have to keep it for at least 30 days before downgrading your service.

One of the biggest debates going on in the satellite and cable market revolves around HD content.  Overall, the HD content on DIRECTV is adequate, but once you start watching programs in high definition, its hard to go back to anything else.  The reality of DIRECTV HD is that with the Choice Xtra package I only get about 45 HD channels. So where are the 130+ HD channels you see advertised on DIRECTV commercials?  Quite a few of these channels are there if you go to the Premier package, in fact you get about 80 channels total in HD when all of the HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax channels are added to the equation.  The rest of the so called HD channels are the regional sports networks and the Pay per view movie channels.  While I get two regional sports networks in HD, DIRECTV counts the other twenty-something HD channels from across the country in their advertising.   While the Sports Pack does offer access to these, all of the live professional games are blacked out so these channels really aren’t of much interest.

Now another feature that DIRECTV offers that I have tried out is their video on demand package.  It is free, which is a good thing because I don’t really think I would pay for it if they tried to charge me.  I had to hook my DSL connection up to the back of the HR21 DVR to get this up and working, but it was a fairly painless procedure.  Once your high speed internet connection is plugged in, you can then access the DIRECTV on demand menu on channel 1000.  Here you can scroll through available titles and select what you want to watch.  While there is plenty to pick from, you may or may not be able to begin watching immediately based on how fast of an internet connection you have.

My 7 Mbps connection through Qwest seems to work adequately, though at times I have to wait a minute or two for some of the content to be saved before I start watching. The DIRECTV on demand platform is a bit clumsy compared to the Comcast On demand I have tried out.  It needs a redesign as far as the menu options go to help you find what you want, and they also are sorely lacking in HD content.  If you have premiums like HBO, you will have much more available as far as movies go with satellite TV on demand.

As far as customer service goes, my experience has been fair with DIRECTV.  I have only called them once when we had trouble with our second receiver for a time.  It wasn’t working correctly, and when we called they wanted to either bill us for a service call or add the DIRECTV Protection Plan for $5.99 a month.  I politely declined and decided to replace the coaxial cable from the wall and reboot the receiver.  Something I did worked resulting in the receiver working again, but they were not all that helpful when I did call them.

DIRECTV is extremely aggressive in telemarketing their existing customers.  I probably get a couple of phone calls a month from them offering some sort of premium deal on HBO or Starz.  I did take advantage of one offer over the winter when we were inside more, but dropped the premiums later when the deal was about to expire.  These days I simply screen their calls as unless I want to hear what they have to offer.

One thing that takes a bit of getting used to is how slow the channels change with DIRECTV.  Coming from cable, I was a speed demon when it comes to surfing channels.  With DIRECTV, they slow channel change quickly gets you out of the channel surfing mode.  I use the “guide” button now, which shrinks the size of the show you are currently watching and then brings up a channel menu.  You can scroll through that fairly quickly and pick out your next channel by hitting the “select” button.  Of course the DIRECTV DVR has reduced my channel surfing even further, as I prefer to skip through the commercials altogether.

A couple of features that are new to satellite TV are the DIRECTV Scoreguide and DIRECTV Apps.   The Scoreguide is pretty helpful, as if you are on a sports channel you can hit the red button on your remote and scroll through scores from the major sports.  On the other hand DIRECTV Apps are fairly useless, simply because they load so slow.

A DIRECTV review probably isn’t complete for sports fans unless comment is made on the premium sports packages including NFL Sunday Ticket.  The football package is the only reason some people have a DIRECTV subscription, but the price just isn’t justifiable in my case.   While I have considered as Sunday Ticket subscription, it just isn’t as valuable to me as I live in my favorite teams’ market and can always see them play.  I have caught the NFL Ticket free preview offered the first weekend of the season and found it extremely entertaining, with the Mix channel and the RedZone channel being my favorites.   Other packages like the NBA League Pass and MLB Extra Innings are also available for around $200 a season, with free preview weeks mixed in from time to time for the rest of us.

That about wraps up my DIRECTV review.  While I am a fairly satisfied customer, I am still considering a jump to Dish Network when my contract is up.  Getting a good deal on and saving money is always important, and to do that you almost have to switch your provider from time to time.  If you are a DIRECTV customer, feel free to post your own review in the comment box below for others to read.

One of the advantages to changing your pay television provider is that you get a better deal as a new customer. Because both satellite and cable TV companies are always fighting for new subscribers, they are willing to offer good deals to those who are shopping around. In this article, we will review the DISH Network specials available to new customers across the United States, and compare them to the specials offered by DIRECTV and cable companies.

Now if you are already with DIRECTV, you are probably pretty familiar with satellite television and how it works. If you have only been with a cable television company like Comcast or Cox, then satellite service may be something new for you. While cable television is delivered through coaxial cables run to every house in the neighborhood, satellite works through a dish mounted on the side or top of your home. Since the United States is in the northern hemisphere, and the satellites are placed into orbit more than 22,000 miles above the equator, your personal satellite dish has to face south.  This can mean trouble if you live in an apartment that faces north, or even if your home does not have a clear view of the southern sky.

The good thing about the DISH Network specials out there is that they will provide you with the satellite dish needed plus receivers that translate the signal. Currently, you can get three free HD upgrades with DISH Network , meaning two regular high definition receivers, and one high definition DVR.  The HD DVR offered by DISH Network is one of the most highly rated boxes out there when compared to the DIRECTV DVR or even to TiVo devices.

With a new DISH Network order you also get a special price on most programming packages.  The entry level Dish Family package is $24.99 a month for about 55 channels, and is not discounted.  Any other package like the America’s Top 120, the Top 200, Top 250, or the America’s Everything package will be discounted by $15 a month for one year, so an overall savings of $180 dollars.  In addition, DISH Network has special offers on premium movie networks.  The current Dish special includes 18 free movie channels from HBO and Showtime for three months.  If you like what you see, do nothing and the movie channels will continue at the regular price after three months.  Otherwise, you have to call and cancel HBO and Showtime to avoid being billed.

If you are wondering about DIRECTV specials and if they are better than DISH Network , here are a few facts to consider. While DISH Network offers a $15 discount on packages for one year, DIRECTV deals currently include a $29 reduction compared to their normal prices. While it does result in more channel content for a lower price during the promotion, you will pay more for DIRECTV than DISH Network once the promotional period have three HDTVs in your home, DISH Network may be a better choice if you are looking to avoid upfront equipment charges.

If you are looking the the cable TV specials out there and comparing them to satellite, comparing regular prices is probably the most important thing to do. Most cable TV packages are comprised of not only video service, but also high speed internet and voice service with long distance calling. Comcast and others regularly offer a basic triple play package which include an entry level cable tier for around $100 a month.  Other triple play packages can easily start around $150 if you want premium movie channels or a higher internet speed.  The main problem with these cable bundles is that the price can really jump up on you after one year, so be sure to get a regular price quote from the cable company you are dealing with in order to accurately compare prices with these DISH Network specials.

The 2010 MLB season is here, and for many die hard baseball fans it means that it is time to figure out if the MLB Extra Innings package is within their budget.  In this article, we will consider some of the details surrounding this package, and look at the various providers that carry the premium baseball package.

This year’s edition of MLB Extra Innings comes in at about $199 for the full season.  Most providers give you the option of paying for the package in four payments, which translates to $50 a month for four months.  For that, you will get access to around 80 out of market games each week.  Considering the baseball season lasts about 24 weeks you are looking at nearly 2,000 games, so if you are a fan this package is the best deal of any out of market sports package.

Now if you are interested in watching the games in HD, you mileage may vary depending on your provider.  DIRECTV is promising to carry at least 40 out of the 80 something games each week in high definition.   Depending on your cable television company, you may find anywhere from 10 to 50 games in HD each week.

So who will have MLB Extra Innings in 2010?  As mentioned DIRECTV is already on board, and they also will be carrying the MLB channel for the second straight year.  Most of the big cable TV companies are also set to carry the package, among them Comcast and Time Warner cable.  Other big providers that are carrying the baseball package include Cox cable, Cablevision, and Bright House networks.   Verizon is also offering Extra Innings as an add on to their FiOS package options.

Two big players are missing from the MLB Extra Innings lineup, those being Dish Network and AT&T U-verse.  Dish has been battling Major League Baseball for years over carriage terms, meaning you won’t find the MLB channel on Dish Network either.  Uverse also has not come to terms with MLB or the inDemand network for the package.

If you still aren’t sure if the package is right for you, be sure to check out the free MLB Extra Innings preview, which is running from April 5th through the 11th.   Channels vary depending on your cable or satellite provider, so check in directly with them to find out where the games are airing.

DIRECTV announced they will be carrying the new ESPN 3D channel from day one, and best of all it won’t cost you anything extra.  That is of course if you don’t count the substantial investment in buying a new 3DTV and the techno-goggles needed to watch 3D content at home.

The move signals that DIRECTV intends to be at the forefront of the 3D battle, as they have already announced they deployment of three other 3D channels.  The other three channels will be a pay per view option, a 3D on demand channel, and the newly named N3D, which will feature content from different providers.  While Comcast and Cox have announced that they will offer 3D coverage of the Masters Golf tournament, only DIRECTV has announced plans to air full time 3D channels in 2010.

ESPN 3D was officially announced in January, and will debut on June 11th at the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament.  Current plans have up to 25 games being broadcast in 3D, and up to 85 events total in 2010.  ESPN is not planning to air their 3D channel full time once broadcasting begins.  Other events set to air on ESPN 3D include the 2011 BCS championship game.

While DIRECTV is not planning to charge subscribers for the 3D version of ESPN, that is where the good news ends.   The bad news is you will still have to find and purchase one of the new 3D TV sets, which are already a hot commodity.   Samsung is brining their 3DTV to market in May, with the lowest priced model starting at $1,700.  High end models from Samsung are running between $6,000 and $7,000.   Panasonic, Sony, and LG also have 3D television sets on their way to market.  Retailers are expecting models from manufacturers to arrive anywhere from May through August, and in limited supply.  That in itself will probably put a damper on both DIRECTV and ESPN as they begin broadcasting in 3D.

Cable TV packages have evolved quite a bit over the last 10 years. Before the year 2000, you pretty much just had to pick from either a basic cable package or a digital cable package. Now there are literally dozens of choices when it comes to your cable package, as they offer multiple levels of service, and also high speed internet connectivity along with voice service. What are some of the important things to consider when shopping for a cable TV package? Are cable packages competitive with the alternatives, satellite and telco TV?

One of the important things to realize if you are served by one of the big cable companies like Comcast or Time Warner is that they want you to subscribe to multiple services. The cable TV network is already there, so for the company to make a greater return on their investment they need their subscribers to order and pay for multiple services. Thus, cable TV packages are designed to give you greater discounts based on the number of services you order.

Most people in America today have some sort of cable or satellite TV. More and more are ordering high speed internet service as computers make their way into almost every home. Telephone service in the home is on the decline though, as cell phones have taken over as a more convenient way to keep in touch. Thus, the cable TV packages you can get primarily focus on video and internet service. At minimum, you should be able to get a cable double play deal that gives you a nice discount on video and internet service. Oftentimes, the cable deal you get will last for six months or one year. Lately though, some offers have extended discounts for as long as two years, but you may have to sign a contract to get a discounted rate for that period of time.  Offers like the Comcast triple play can be enticing, especially when they are throwing in a $200 Visa card with certain cable packages.  Make sure you get full details on the cable TV package you are interested in, especially any contractual information.

Another consideration with cable TV packages is the price they charge you for DVR service. If you order a satellite TV package, you can expect to pay around $6 or $7 a month for satellite DVR service with Dish Network or DIRECTV. This fee applies for each TV you have connected to a DVR with DIRECTV. Dish Network offers DuoDVR devices which can connect two TV sets. Some cable companies have hike their DVR prices up to $15 a month or more. That can be quite an expense, especially if you want more than one DVR with your cable TV bundle.

The main advantage of a cable television package when compared to satellite is that you can deal with one company for all of your communication services. DIRECTV and DISH Network only offer video, so they have to partner with local telecom companies like Qwest, Verizon and AT&T to offer phone service and DSL. Cable TV packages usually cost a more overall than satellite and telecom providers, but most cable operators also offer On-demand programming for free, which gives you a lot of flexibility in watching TV on your own time schedule.

Verizon Fios packages offer customers who were formerly locked into their cable television company an additional choice. Why are the packages being offered by Verizon so popular? What should you look for when comparing a Verizon package against your local cable company, or even satellite?

One of the first things to do is evaluate your current situation, and what communication services you really want. Many today are abandoning their home phone line in favor of just cell phone service. Others are looking at their cable TV lineup and determining that they don’t really watch all of the channels they are paying for. Evaluating what you pay and what you get from your current satellite, cable and telephone company should be your first step.

Next, evaluate the Verizon Fios packages available to you and compare pricing with your current cable TV package. Verizon changed up their packages and pricing for 2010, but overall they are still competitive with their offers. Remember that some packages involve a contract, so if you are moving anytime soon you may want to verify that Fios TV is available in the location you are moving to so that you won’t be on the hook for extra termination fees.

Now if you are looking for more than just a Fios TV package, bundling multiple services can save you some money and make it more convenient if billing or service issues come up. Its nice to be able to deal with one company whether it is an issue with your phone, internet, or cable TV service. Verizon Fios has also rated highly in customer service surveys from JD Power, even though the service has only been around for a few years. No doubt competitors to Fios like Comcast and Time Warner will have to bring up their service levels if they want to continue to keep their subscribers. Satellite TV companies DISH Network and DIRECTV have also been targeted by Verizon in an effort to build their customer base.

If you are looking for current pricing on Verizon TV packages, here is a brief rundown. The Fios TV packages for 2010 fall under three different names. The Fios TV Prime HD package includes 220 channels for $64.99 a month. The Fios TV Extreme HD package offers 320 channels for $74.99 a month. Finally, the Fios TV Ultimate HD package includes over 385 channels for $89.99 a month. Interestingly, all of the package now include HD in the title, and of course have high definition channels in their respective lineups. No doubt the hi def customer is demanding this content for their new HDTV systems.

Now the TV portion of these offers is just the beginning. There are several bundle options that can round out your home communications package. The Double Play and the Triple Play offers from the telecom provider give you additional entertainment choices, and as mentioned earlier all through one provider. Some comparison shopping between the Verizon Fios packages and cable can help you make the right choice.

When you are looking at cable and satellite TV prices, no doubt you are easily confused as to what the real price is. Cable companies like Comcast are famous for running promotional deals that are good for one year, or sometimes even six months. Satellite TV companies have followed suit, offering deals for new customers for one year of service when you are a new subscriber. In this article, we will review DIRECTV’s real pricing structure, so that you know what you are up against after the promotional period is over.

The one package with DIRECTV that seems to stay fairly constant is the Family package. This is similar to the very low tiers of cable that you come across occasionally. The DIRECTV Family package is $29.99 a month, there are no discounts as a new customer, but you do get free installation and local channels.

The rest of this article will use the DIRECTV real pricing for 2010, although that fee structure won’t kick in for a few weeks. The Choice package containing 150 audio and visual channels is $58.99 a month. Locals are included, but DVR and HD service is not.

The normal price for the DIRECTV Choice Xtra package is $63.99 a month, again with local programming included, but DVR and HD service fees not a part of the package.

The all inclusive DIRECTV Premier package is $114.99 a month when looking at the regular price, and included here are 265 audio and video channels. The big selling point here is there are more than 30 commercial free premium channels from HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Encore and Starz.

The DIRECTV regular price for HD access is $10 a month, and that will give you the HD channels available in each package. The DVR price is $7 per month, and that is for each TV that you have a digital video recorder connection. Other normal DIRECTV charges include pay per view movies, which are usually between $5 and $6 each, though there are often two-for-one deals that come in your DIRECTV bill.

So there is a brief rundown of what DIRECTV pricing is after one year. Remember, as a new satellite TV customer you generally are committing to service for a 24 month period. That means you will be paying normal DIRECTV rates for at least one year after the promotion ends.

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games begin in a few weeks, and this year there will be more than 800 hours of coverage.  If you have DIRECTV, or are thinking about ordering satellite TV service, here is a brief review of where and when you will find your favorite Olympic competition.

DIRECTV’s 2010 Winter Olympic coverage will come from NBC, and will not only be found on the flagship network but also on several secondary cable channels.  This year’s games are taking place in Vancouver Canada, which means many of main events will take place in primetime viewing hours in the United States.  All events will be broadcast in HD as well, another advantage for customers of DIRECTV and Dish Network where plenty of channels are delivered in high definition.

The Winter Games kick off with the Opening Ceremonies on February 12th, which will be carried on your local NBC affiliate.  A nice resource for finding all of the 2010 Olympic games on DIRECTV, Dish Network, Comcast, or any other provider can be found at the NBC Olympics site.  Here you can find full schedules for all of the upcoming Olympic events.

In addition to more than 200 hours of coverage on NBC, DIRECTV customers will be able to see 2010 Olympic action on 5 additional channels.  USA, MSNBC, CNBC, Universal HD, and Universal Sports will cover different sports from start to finish.  Here is a brief rundown on what you can find on each.

Your local NBC station will carry the big events like Figure Skating, Speed Skating, and Skiiing.  Nightly primetime coverage will feature the top events, and late night coverage will interrupt the current Tonight Show controversy between Jay Leno and Conan O’brien.  NBC will also broadcast several events during daytime hours on both weekdays and weekends.

The USA Network is found on DIRECTV channel 242, and will be the home of the U.S. Olympic Team.  More than 40 hours of Winter Olympic coverage will be on USA, and the featured events will be Ice Hockey and Curling.  All Team USA Hockey games will be on USA, and most of them will be live broadcasts.

MSNBC is on DIRECTV channel 356, and will feature about 100 hours of the 2010 Olympic Games.  Again, Ice Hockey competition and Curling will be the main events here.   In addition, figure skating and speed skating competition will be found on MSNBC.  Late round hockey and the US-Canada hockey game will also be found here.

CNBC, normally the 24 hour business channel is on DIRECTV channel 355.   About 100 hours of coverage will be on CNBC, including both the men’s and women’s Curling gold medal matchups.

Universal HD is not widely available yet, but it is available through DIRECTV on channel 259.  This channel is not in any of the regular DIRECTV packages, you have to subscribe to the HD Extra Pack, which runs $4.99 a month.  Olympic coverage here consists of highlights only, broadcast in HD of course.

As mentioned earlier, all of the combined coverage totals more than 800 hours.  NBC is certainly betting that the 2010 Olympic games will bring them millions in advertising revenue and a big win in the February sweeps period.  If you are with the other satellite TV company, here is a rundown of the Dish Network 2010 Olympic coverage.

AT&T U-verse customers will have to reach down into their wallets a bit further in 2010, as the giant telecom  is hiking rates on cable and internet rates next month.  The AT&T U-verse rate hike is in line with those announced by DIRECTV and other cable TV companies over the past few months.

The U-verse price increase will take effect on February 1st, 2010 and ranges between $3 and $5 depending on the U-verse bundle you subscribe to.   AT&T is hiking the lower priced packages the most, as the U-verse U-family package and the U100 options will both increase $5 a month from $49 to $54 a month.   These entry level packages have competed well against both cable and satellite TV options, offering a good channel lineup at a lower price then the competition.

According to AT&T, the price increase on U-verse is the first that many customers will have to endure.  Of course the service is fairly new, making its debut in 2006 in very limited areas.  Since then, AT&T has garnered more than 2 million subscribers in the states where it has been deployed, while U-verse availability continues to be an issue form many who want the service.  Higher programming costs were cited as the main reason for the price hike.

If you have one of the larger U-verse TV packages, those will be jumping up as well.  The U200 will rise from $64 to $67 per month.  The U300 will increase in price from $79 to $82 per month.  Finally, the all inclusive U450 will jump from $109 to $112 a month.  The U200 Latino (Spanish package) will also go up $3 a month, from $74 to $77.   If you are comparison shopping against satellite a like package from DIRECTV, the Premier bundle. is currently at $109.99 but will be moving up $5 a month to $114.99 next month.

If you have other AT&T U-verse services, you will be paying a bit more for some of those as well.  U-verse broadband will be raised for the lower speed tiers.   AT&T is hiking their Express (1.5 Mbps), Pro (3 Mbps) and Elite (6 Mbps) tiers $5 each.  On the other hand, the faster U-verse internet packages Max (12 Mbps) and Max Plus (18 Mbps) will be dropped $10 each for new customers only.  That decision is sure to fire up existing U-verse customers who will have the privilege of paying more for the same service.

AT&T U-verse telephone rates are also going up if you have the top plan.  U-verse voice unlimited will rise $5 to $35 a month.  The limited phone plan, the Voice 250 will stay at $25 per month, but only includes 250 minutes of long distance calling per month.

AT&T certainly isn’t alone in raising prices in 2010.  DIRECTV raised prices recently, though they won’t actually hit subscriber bills until February, and Comcast hiked rates late last year.  While a Dish Network price increase has been rumored, nothing official has come out yet.