CenturyLink Inc. chose DirecTV Group Inc as its satellite TV partner, displacing rival Dish Network Corp. The deal was effective Sunday, according to a DirecTV spokesman. Dish declined to comment, and CenturyLink wasn't immediately available for comment.
It's a victory for DirecTV, which has locked up agreements with all of the major landline companies. The company has shifted from solely pursuing customer growth to improving the quality of its subscriber base. Dish, which has seen its growth accelerate in the last few quarters, continues to tap into lower end customers through aggressive promotions.
CenturyLink, which is working on closing its acquisition of Qwest Communications International Inc. , was heading for a potential conflict if the change wasn't made. Qwest has been an ardent partner of DirecTV, and the companies have worked together to create a more integrated service. The transition is smoother with CenturyLink also switching to DirecTV from Dish.