Rainbow Media Holdings LLC launched the Voom 21 HD Originals, a suite of 21 high-definition channels May 1. EchoStar Communications Corp. is the first company to offer the suite.

Joshua Sapan, Rainbow Media president and CEO, told Satellite Today that 10 of the 21 Voom HD Originals channels launched on Dish Network, EchoStar’s direct-to-home satellite television service. “When EchoStar deploys MPEG-4 more widely, we will offer the full 21 channels” to Dish Network subscribers, Sapan said.

EchoStar is expected to begin offering the full package by the end of the year andVoom 21 will be offered to subscribers as part of EchoStar’s HD programming package at no additional charge. “In the near term, during this transition phase, there will likely be a small incremental charge to access the Voom programming,” he said.

EchoStar did not release pricing information specifically related to this HD program offering.