During its second quarter conference call with financial analysts Wednesday, TiVo didn't have much to say about its ongoing litigation with EchoStar/DISH Network, saying only that the DVR pioneer is waiting for the court date next week involving the two companies.

The patent infringement litigation is in the enforcement phase. There is a hearing scheduled next Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Texas that will focus on an injunction facing DISH that has been upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington. The court also could determine further damages for DISH/EchoStar.

TiVo CEO Tom Rogers commented on the DISH litigation, saying, "We remain confident in the outcome and look forward to final resolution in the near-future and to realizing the value of our intellectual property." Rogers also dismissed EchoStar's move to take the legal matter to the Supreme Court, adding "it's very unlikely the case will be heard" at the high court.

Meanwhile, TiVo reported a net loss of 178,000 cumulative subscriptions in the second quarter, taking its cumulative subscriber base to 3.623 million. The numbers include both TiVo-owned and partner-supported customers using the DVR service.

TiVo's partner subscriber base includes DIRECTV users of the DVR service as well as cable partners. That group of users saw a net decline of about 136,000. TiVo-controlled DVR subscribers fell by 42,000.

TiVo's second quarter financial performance was strong, with adjusted EBITDA of $10.6 million and net income of $2.9 million for the period. The net income compares to a net loss of $ 17.69 million for the same period last year.

In a filing at the Federal Communications Commission, DISH Network continued its push for a retrans quiet period during the critical months before and after the digital TV transition, saying such a move would be a positive for consumers during the switch.

A quiet period governing retransmission consent deals between video providers and broadcasters would occur before and after the February 2009 switch. Small cable interests and DISH are actively promoting the proposal at the FCC.

In its filing, DISH told the FCC that a quiet period should start no later than December in order to capture the expiration of most retrans deals. "Starting a quiet period later than December would be pointless because programming would already be dropped and the harm done," the company said.

Also in its filing, DISH said broadcaster conduct during retrans negotiations merits broader review.

"Broadcasters are seeking exponentially large increases in per subscriber costs," the satellite TV company said, "demands are often for increases of over 200 percent of current rates."

The Mtn., the college sports network for the Mountain West Conference, made its debut on DIRECTV Thursday. But the channel launch wasn't without its glitches.

Apparently, the process for authorizing which DIRECTV customers can view the channel was taking time. Some viewers were able to see the network while others contacted The Mtn. about a lack of access to the channel, which covers nine schools in seven states.

As they say in the business, the sides are ironing out the issues. And word late last night is that all accounts should have been updated by the close of Wednesday.

"We assure you that we are doing our best to get this issue resolved in a timely fashion," The Mtn. said on its Web site concerning the glitches. "As we all know sometimes these types of things are not always automatic and there are issues from time to time."

Hughes Network Systems on Wednesday unveiled its HughesNet Business Internet service plans, offerings that bring satellite broadband access to small- and mid-sized businesses (SMB).

Starting at $59.99 a month, HughesNet Business Internet plans offer seven choices, with speeds up to 1 Mbps on the uplink and up to 5 Mbps on the downlink. The product is being targeted at small businesses that may be outside the reach of terrestrial cable and DSL providers.

"We estimate that there are over three million underserved businesses in the U.S.," said Sam Baumel, assistant vice president of SMB at Hughes. "Because of where they're located, these business owners don't have access to DSL, are using a slow dial-up connection, or are paying for costly T-1 service. Our new HughesNet Business Internet plans offer an affordable, nationwide solution that will help any small business stay connected and grow."

The packages also feature a range of service options, including broadband backup access to ensure consistent connectivity, and a virtual private network (VPN) solution for secure networking among business locations, Hughes said.

Globalstar said satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space has started production assembly, integration and testing of the initial set of second-generation flight model satellites. The new satellites, scheduled for delivery in less than a year, will be utilized to provide Globalstar's next-generation of advanced mobile satellite voice and data services, the company said.

Korean Telecom has contracted Arianespace to launch its next satellite, ?Koreasat 6. The spacecraft will be boosted into geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane 5 or Soyuz launcher from the Guiana Space Center, French Guiana, during the second half of 2010.