AT&T To Buy DIRECTV for $67 Billion

[dfergie]

Is Peter Chernin Key To AT&T’s Deal With DirecTV?

Just last month the telco announced that it forged a partnership with former News Corp COO Peter Chernin, valued at $500M, to either buy or build a so-called over-the-top (OTT) online video service. That’s now potentially the biggest — and perhaps the only meaningful — new opportunity for AT&T if it completes its $49.5B acquisition of DirecTV. The satellite company’s CEO Michael White told analysts this week that OTT and mobile video could be ”big win-wins not only for us and our customers, but also for our programming partners.”

deadline.com

 

[whitewolf8214]

AT&T-DirecTV Deal Could Provide Financial, Strategic Benefits If Approved http://seekingalpha.com/article/223...vide-financial-strategic-benefits-if-approved

 

[Jimbo]

What bugs the crap out of me is when the federal govt broke up the Bell System, one of the conditions was that we as consumers would be free to choose both our long distance and local telco provider. The former started almost immediately. The latter NEVER happened. AT&T has used this loophole to gobble up not only nearly every former "Baby Bell", but has never been available wherever. In other words, the whole thing was a big lie.
By the way I understood this thing that happened in 1985( Breakup of Ma Bell) was I would be able to choose my local provider. I cannot. I am stuck with POTS company Windstream. A company i refuse to do business with because according to some people that work there, Windstream has zero interest in going beyond what they are now. An old fashioned Tip And Ring system. Their DSL is the equivalent of two dixie cups and and a piece of string. 6mbps is all they will ever do. I can walk for 5 minutes and be in an AT&T served area.

You think that just because of this break up years ago, that you would be able to choose ANY carrier for your LOCAL service ?
Sorry it doesn't work that way unless those other companies run thier own infrastructure ...
There were MANY "Local" phone providers available a short 5-10 years ago, so many that we couldn't keep track of them all .... they rented or CO and lines .... most of them have left the industry, though there are some still out there.
So it wasn't a Big Lie like you say, the offices were opened up for anyone that wanted to use them, and many did.

I also am in the same situation as you, the local phone company here, changes hands monthly, only goes to 3 mg.

 

[tigerfan33]

Cable companies could band together and try to get an arrangement like MLBEI or NBA's deal.

This is true. However NFL is king of all sports with college football following at a distant 2nd.

 

[Jimbo]

If they cared about viewers why were they shopping the Thursday package to cable networks? Sunday Ticket is too high now, imagine what it will be like if DIRECTV is successful in bidding for and merges with AT&T ...

Thursday Night Football is Not part of the ST at all.
They have nothing to do with one another as far as those bidding for the Thursday games.

 

[navychop]

If the NFL gets too expensive, people will avoid it. There might be a sudden crash, perhaps with the next economic downturn.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen!"


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[osu1991]

What bugs the crap out of me is when the federal govt broke up the Bell System, one of the conditions was that we as consumers would be free to choose both our long distance and local telco provider. The former started almost immediately. The latter NEVER happened. AT&T has used this loophole to gobble up not only nearly every former "Baby Bell", but has never been available wherever. In other words, the whole thing was a big lie.
By the way I understood this thing that happened in 1985( Breakup of Ma Bell) was I would be able to choose my local provider. I cannot. I am stuck with POTS company Windstream. A company i refuse to do business with because according to some people that work there, Windstream has zero interest in going beyond what they are now. An old fashioned Tip And Ring system. Their DSL is the equivalent of two dixie cups and and a piece of string. 6mbps is all they will ever do. I can walk for 5 minutes and be in an AT&T served area.

I have Windstream at home for my business lines and at my lake house. I can get 12mb at home, but only pay for 6mb as that's all I need for my business needs. I'm on the edge of getting it at the lake house, so I have 6mb there too, but it usually clocks in at 7 to 7.5mb. Both of my sisters are in Windstream Fiber neighborhoods here and get 24mb from Windstream.

Now don't get me wrong here, I would hate to give up my Cox cable internet at home and in our condo in Las Vegas, but Windstream has been improving here in Oklahoma the last couple of years.

 

[dishfan82]

There is still a good chance of this merger failing and here's why, it will be less competition. They know it and AT&T knows it. It's bad for the customers because if they say I hate AT&T i'm going to Directv, well they can't because if Direct is owed by them they'll have to find another provider.

2. What about all the potential customers without line of sight?? Here's my bold prediction: This merger won't be approved due to less competition. They will get the same answer they got when they tried to buy T-mobile.


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[acostapimps]

I wish we get Google fiber here in the Chicago and surrounding areas, then I would cancel Comcast in a heartbeat, but I'll have to be sure how it would hold out in reality rather than what's being said, It would probably be years before that happen, since Comcast and AT&T would put out a fight in the bigger cities. Plus it would need city and state approval to build I think.


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[Bodo Fenrirsson]

There is still a good chance of this merger failing and here's why, it will be less competition. They know it and AT&T knows it. It's bad for the customers because if they say I hate AT&T i'm going to Directv, well they can't because if Direct is owed by them they'll have to find another provider.

2. What about all the potential customers without line of sight?? Here's my bold prediction: This merger won't be approved due to less competition. They will get the same answer they got when they tried to buy T-mobile.


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U-Verse isn't in my city so the idea of less competition is a wash here. So ATT digests themselves of U-Verse TV,there's a whole bunch of us in the U.S. who aren't privileged to have U-Verse TV,FIOS,or Google Fiber,so a ATT buyout of Directv has no negative impact where I'm at. U-Verse,what's that?

 

[joed32]

Did anyone hear or read this?

"Amid reports that a new agreement is near for the NFL Sunday Ticket Package to remain exclusively on DirecTV, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suggested at today’s owners meeting that he expects to be in business with DirecTV for years to come.

“We’re still within an exclusive negotiation period with DirecTV. They’ve been a teriffic partner,” Goodell said.

 

[whitewolf8214]

What Does the AT&T-DIRECTV Deal Mean for DISH Network? http://www.fool.com/investing/gener...the-att-directv-deal-mean-for-dish-netwo.aspx

 

[whitewolf8214]

Did anyone hear or read this?

"Amid reports that a new agreement is near for the NFL Sunday Ticket Package to remain exclusively on DirecTV, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suggested at today’s owners meeting that he expects to be in business with DirecTV for years to come.

“We’re still within an exclusive negotiation period with DirecTV. They’ve been a teriffic partner,” Goodell said.

Here it is.. Roger Goodell calls DirecTV “a terrific partner” for the NFL http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...calls-directv-a-terrific-partner-for-the-nfl/ imo I believe they will get this done before the regular season starts if not sooner!!

 

[whitewolf8214]

Winners And Losers In AT&T's Acquisition Of DirecTV http://seekingalpha.com/article/2232833-winners-and-losers-in-at-and-ts-acquisition-of-directv

 

[whitewolf8214]

Is Peter Chernin Key To AT&T’s Deal With DirecTV? http://m.deadline.com/2014/05/att-directv-peter-chernin-online-video-service-strategy/

 

[whitewolf8214]

AT&T Channels DirecTV, GoPro Gets Going and JP Morgan's Good Deed http://finance.yahoo.com/video/t-channels-directv-gopro-gets-222754785.html

 

[mike123abc]

The best hope is that AT&T does not change out the management at DIRECTV

 

[navychop]

Hear that big flushing sound? It's JP Morgan money going down the Detroit toilet. I smell a shareholder suit in the making.


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[mike123abc]

Hear that big flushing sound? It's JP Morgan money going down the Detroit toilet. I smell a shareholder suit in the making.

Is not there always a shareholder suit in the making?

 

[Drucifer]

There is still a good chance of this merger failing and here's why, it will be less competition. They know it and AT&T knows it. It's bad for the customers because if they say I hate AT&T i'm going to Directv, well they can't because if Direct is owed by them they'll have to find another provider.

2. What about all the potential customers without line of sight?? Here's my bold prediction: This merger won't be approved due to less competition. They will get the same answer they got when they tried to buy T-mobile.


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Nope there still lots of competition. The field would need to be cut in half before that comes into play. Just look at all the mergers after the original AT&T breakup. It turned into a feeding frenzy.