AT&T picks DirecTV for their DBS partner starting 2/1/2009

[rad]

From The DIRECTV Group, Inc. - AT&T and DIRECTV, Inc. Reach Agreement to Offer Satellite TV Service to AT&T Customers

AT&T and DIRECTV, Inc. Reach Agreement to Offer Satellite TV Service to AT&T Customers

DALLAS and EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept 26, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and DIRECTV, Inc. (Nasdaq: DTV) today announced a commercial agreement by which AT&T will market and sell DIRECTV's service as a co-branded satellite television service after Jan. 31, 2009.

AT&T | DIRECTV will become part of the AT&T Advanced TV video portfolio, alongside AT&T U-verse(SM) TV, after the expiration of AT&T's current satellite agreement with DISH Network(R), which it will fully honor. AT&T will offer, market and sell co-branded AT&T | DISH Network services through Jan. 31, 2009. After that date, existing AT&T | DISH Network customers will continue to receive the same, quality service they enjoy today.

New AT&T | DIRECTV customers will be able to enjoy DIRECTV programming packages, with the added benefit of a discount for bundling their wireless, home phone and broadband services with AT&T.

"Our focus is on providing customers with a better TV experience than cable," said Jeff Weber, AT&T vice president-Video and Entertainment. "AT&T | DIRECTV complements our premier AT&T U-verse TV service and gives customers another great choice for state-of-the-art, 100 percent digital programming."

"Our agreement with AT&T will provide endless opportunities to thrill consumers with an amazing suite of bundled entertainment and communications services at home and on the go," said Paul Guyardo, DIRECTV chief sales and marketing officer. "The real winners of this agreement will be our joint customers who will enjoy a singular, high-quality experience throughout their entire life cycle."

Other terms of the non-equity agreement were not disclosed.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 on Fortune magazine's World's Most Admired Telecommunications Company list and No. 1 on America's Most Admired Telecommunications Company list. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at Wireless, DSL Internet, digital TV Services, and Phone | AT&T.

AT&T | DISH Network: AT&T | DISH Network is a co-branded service provided by DISH Network L.L.C., the DISH Network logo and other product and service names are the trademarks and/or service marks of DISH Network L.L.C. (C) 2008 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.

(C) 2008 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Note: This AT&T news release and other announcements are available as part of an RSS feed at AT&T Corporate Information - News Room. For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at AT&T Corporate Information - News Room.

About DIRECTV

DIRECTV, Inc. (NASDAQ: DTV), the nation's leading satellite television service provider, presents the finest television experience available to more than 17.1 million customers in the United States and is leading the HD revolution with more than 130 HD channels. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to over 265 channels of 100% digital picture and sound, exclusive programming, industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed national cable companies for eight years running) and superior technologies that include advanced DVR and HD-DVR services and the most state-of-the-art interactive sports packages available anywhere. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

Wireless, DSL Internet, digital TV Services, and Phone | AT&T

Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

News Provided by COMTEX

 

[tomcrown1]

Well I guess Echostar better mege with Direct TV or be out of business.

Come Jan 31, 2009 what will be the churn rate for dish

 

[Sori4mvp]

Hold up, let me get this right. AT&T aka Bell Whatever used to team with DTV. Then they switched and started teaming with Dish, now they are going back to DTV? What up?

 

[jcrandall]

AT&T has been in limbo for months of which provider to offer, if any at all.

Good for AT&T that they finally made a decision, and Great for Directv that they won!

Although it won't afftect subscriber numbers till Feb2009, look for AT&T to majorly market this in Q1 and the subscriber numbers to jump.

 

[rad]

Hold up, let me get this right. AT&T aka Bell Whatever used to team with DTV. Then they switched and started teaming with Dish, now they are going back to DTV? What up?

BellSouth and DirecTV partnered, AT&T partnered with Dish. AT&T purchases BellSouth and ends up with both DBS companies. When the DirecTV contract expired AT&T did not renew but said that when the Dish contract expired they would reevaluate both DBS companies then and could switch again, which looks like is exactly what they did.

 

[belawrence]

This just tells me that AT&T doesn't intend on deploying Uverse throughout at least most of their footprint, otherwise why bother with either D* or E*.

 

[rad]

This just tells me that AT&T doesn't intend on deploying Uverse throughout at least most of their footprint, otherwise why bother with either D* or E*.

IMHO, they never did, just too expensive to build up the infrastructure once you get out of the urban areas. Same goes for Verizon and FIOS, I don't see them running fiber out into the farm country where there's maybe 5 to 10 homes per mile of road.

 

[Rey]

this is really good news for D and not so good for E. that's pretty much it. I like it :up It will further push marketing for D which is great. ATT had plenty of time to evaluate both companies. If you ask me they made the right choice

 

[tigerfan33]

IMHO, they never did, just too expensive to build up the infrastructure once you get out of the urban areas. Same goes for Verizon and FIOS, I don't see them running fiber out into the farm country where there's maybe 5 to 10 homes per mile of road.

True. I am in Uverse country. I am in a fairly new subdivision. A year old subdivision about 1 mile from me will have Uverse. It will be at least 5 years for us to get it.

That is ok. Happy with satellite. Maybe Uverse will have the bugs worked out by the time I can get it.

 

[sfollenius]

I lucked out I guess. I have AT&T and already get a bundle discount on both of my bills Direct and AT&T. I got into this bundle because I am an area formerly Bellsouth which partnered with Direct.

 

[apollog]

Charlie tries to save a penny, but loses a dollar instead. Great business practices Echostar. No wonder they are losing more customers than acquiring.

 

[apollog]

Merge Charlie, Merge !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jamey K]

This is not the time to be losing a customer base.

 

[NutFlush920]

This is great. I have DirecTV stock and will look forward to the income.

That asside, I currently have DirecTV for television and Time Warner Cable's Road Runner internet. When February comes, I may as well dump Time Warner and get AT&T DSL. Expecially if they are going to offer discounts. I however, will never give up DirecTV for TV service.

 

[soot]

I wonder what took Direct so long? Dish has been with Embarq phone service for awhile and they keep letting us know with some of the dumbest commercial's around.

 

[soot]

I wonder what took Direct so long? Dish has been with Embarq phone service for awhile and they keep letting us know with some of the dumbest commercials around.

 

[VinceT3]

I question how badly this will hurt dish.. may hurt.. doubt it'll kill em.. though it does feel like dish is dying a slow death..

 

[tedb3rd]

Vince is right, Dish does seem to be a slow death. Too bad it's not an over-the-weekend / within-a-week series of events sort of death... because then the government would bail them out!

 

[Jimbo]

I lucked out I guess. I have AT&T and already get a bundle discount on both of my bills Direct and AT&T. I got into this bundle because I am an area formerly Bellsouth which partnered with Direct.

How much do you actually save when bundling the D* and the AT&T ?
IF you bundle , do you have to do ALL your dealings with the AT&T dept's if you have trouble with D* do you still call D* or do you need to call AT&T ?


this is a good thing, my stock (at&t) should be going up as well.

Jimbo

 

[Jimbo]

This just tells me that AT&T doesn't intend on deploying Uverse throughout at least most of their footprint, otherwise why bother with either D* or E*.

They will definatly continue distribution in the cities that they have decided to go into.
They will use this along with D* to cover the areas of the country that they cannot reach ....

fwiw, I thought at&t would actually buy D* a year ago I mentioed that I thought it would happen by the end of '09, but now I doubt that,that will happen if they have partnered with them like they do/did dish.

I wonder when we will hear anything about this at work and when it will take place.

U-Verse coming to the area in Nov.

Jimbo