Despite rumors, AT&T not talking to EchoStar now

[Suppafreak]

Despite rumors, AT&T not talking to EchoStar now - USATODAY.com

NEW YORK — AT&T's (T) stock price dropped 5% this week amid rumors that it is preparing to buy satellite TV company EchoStar (DISH), whose stock price surged 20% on the news.
The reality? AT&T isn't even talking to EchoStar now and has no interest in trying to broker a deal anytime soon, according to people familiar with the situation. The sources declined to be identified by name or affiliation because they are not authorized to speak publicly on behalf of the companies.

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[MikeD-C05]

God, I hope that they aren't talking about buying DISH. I would like to see DISH stay independent and on track for the 3 sat launches next year. BUt by the end of next month ATT will decide which sat provider they will partner with full time. So if they chose DISH over DIRECTV for that partnership ,it would kind of show which company that they might buy someday if they are interested in doing that.

 

[Juan]

Thats one way to force thr stock price down

 

[Poke]

Yeah like I have said its funny how some analyst make some prediction of chit chat with a banker or whatever and rumors start flying. Either way I dont see Charlie selling I think he is smarter than that. Also Dish AT&T already work together so Dish is already helping out AT&T if AT&T buys someone it would make more sense for them to get Direct TV. Overall this has just been more rumor mill speculation stuff is all which happens all the time with companies which effect their stocks as well. So nothing new.

 

[harshness]

God, I hope that they aren't talking about buying DISH. I would like to see DISH stay independent and on track for the 3 sat launches next year.

Splitting DISH from Echostar and selling a substantial interest in DISH wouldn't necessarily change Echostar's plans.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Splitting DISH from Echostar and selling a substantial interest in DISH wouldn't necessarily change Echostar's plans.

True, but if you stay with DISH and they do get sold off to ATT , the three satellites not yet launched may not be used with the new ATT/Dish . They may use them with a new mpeg 4 version of all the existing sat programming and you may have to switch to another yet to be announced sat service .

The fcc documents has said which satellites will stay with DISH and which ones will go to Echostar holding company. 110/119 go with DISH but I remember seeing that 61.5 , 77, 113, 121, 86.5 ,97 will go the Holding company. Don't know about 129 since it is a Canadian sat and they are only leasing the space on the replacement for 129. That sure sounds like Charlie is hedging his bets on starting another mpeg 4 sat service and sticking the older mpeg 2 sats with the DISH service and who ever buys it.

I just wonder what happens to the hd channels on 61.5 & 129 if Charlie is spinning off the sats to the holding company? Does Echostar become an hd provider of national channels to DISH and who ever buys them? Maybe that is what Charlie had in mind. The new company who buys DISH ,gets stuck with replacing all of the older mpeg 2 receivers. Charlie continues making the receivers for the new ATT/Dish and gets to provide the hd channels to DISH for a price.

I sure wish someone could fill in the blanks on this and other questions. I hate not knowing what is going on.

 

[broadcasttheworld]

True, but if you stay with DISH and they do get sold off to ATT , the three satellites not yet launched may not be used with the new ATT/Dish . They may use them with a new mpeg 4 version of all the existing sat programming and you may have to switch to another yet to be announced sat service .

The fcc documents has said which satellites will stay with DISH and which ones will go to Echostar holding company. 110/119 go with DISH but I remember seeing that 61.5 , 77, 113, 121, 86.5 ,97 will go the Holding company. Don't know about 129 since it is a Canadian sat and they are only leasing the space on the replacement for 129. That sure sounds like Charlie is hedging his bets on starting another mpeg 4 sat service and sticking the older mpeg 2 sats with the DISH service and who ever buys it.

I just wonder what happens to the hd channels on 61.5 & 129 if Charlie is spinning off the sats to the holding company? Does Echostar become an hd provider of national channels to DISH and who ever buys them? Maybe that is what Charlie had in mind. The new company who buys DISH ,gets stuck with replacing all of the older mpeg 2 receivers. Charlie continues making the receivers for the new ATT/Dish and gets to provide the hd channels to DISH for a price.

I sure wish someone could fill in the blanks on this and other questions. I hate not knowing what is going on.

Sounds good for Charlie, but I think AT&T is smarter then that. They didn't become the largest telcom and double the stock by being stupid. That might be why this deal has not come together yet. Truthfully I would like to see AT&T take that 30 billion and spend it on the lightspeed / U-Verse project rather then buy a dish provider.