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story category AT&T: Doesn't Need Echostar
CFO says company has everything it needs to battle cable
(old news - 10:07AM Friday Jan 13 2006)
tags: Video · competition · telco
While there had been some talk that AT&T would buy Echostar (and Dish Network) for $13 billion, AT&T CFO Richard Lindner brushed aside any such talk yesterday. The purchase wouldn't make much sense, since offering satellite TV is a stop-gap measure only until AT&T can ramp up "Project Lightspeed" (IPTV and next-gen broadband) deployment. "We don't have to do additional transactions - to have the asset base we need"; vague enough to keep the Echostar and BellSouth acquisition rumors breathing.

Related:
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  2. WSJ Downplays AT&T, Echostar Deal
  3. Tracking FiOS TV Bundle Price Changes
  4. TelcoTV, Broadband Film Rentals Don't Scare Cable (Yet)
  5. AT&T Completes Whole Home DVR Upgrade
  6. Should Cable Operators Offer Wireless?
  7. Verizon FiOS Comes To DC
  8. What Network Neutrality Is REALLY About
Forums » AT&T: Doesn't Need Echostar
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arundc

join:2004-08-11
·Comcast

Don't know how long Dish can survive on its own...

In a way that's good news. I've been with Dish since '00 and they've been great. Their customer service is top-notch and choice of programming (domestic/int'l) is good. However, in this day and age of consolidation and mergers, I am not sure how long they can last on their own. I just hope if it does happen, its for the good.

If it takes a turn for the worst... Verizon FiOS TV is around the corner for me.

juilinsandar
Texas Gooner
Premium
join:2000-07-17
San Benito, TX
·AT&T DSL Service

Re: Don't know how long Dish can survive on its own...

said by arundc See Profile :

If it takes a turn for the worst... Verizon FiOS TV is around the corner for me.
I wish I could say the same.

I've currently got DISH via AT&T until IPTV comes to my area, and your guess is as good as mine as to when that'll be. Previous to this, I had DirecTV for a few years and then switched to Time Warner cable for another 4 years before finally leaving them for DISH last April. I like DISH's pricing, but I miss the Video On Demand that Time Warner had just started offering before I left.
--
Crime does not pay ... as well as politics. - Alfred E. Newman

aztecnology
O Rly?
Premium
join:2003-02-12
Murrieta, CA
·Verizon FIOS

It's a heck of lot cheaper to partner with Echostar for all the "rural" customers who will never see lightspeed, and those who won't be able to get it for a couple of years...
--
.:|:. "Independent thinkers tend to ALWAYS have someone not agreeing with them. It's The non-thinkers that always come in legions." John Callari .:|:.

jlhugh
Premium
join:2001-09-07
Wichita Falls, TX
clubs:
·AT&T Southwest

Re: Don't know how long Dish can survive on its ow

said by aztecnology See Profile :

It's a heck of lot cheaper to partner with Echostar for all the "rural" customers who will never see lightspeed, and those who won't be able to get it for a couple of years...
That is the firt statement that has made any sense since this rumor has come about.

TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast

Re: Don't know how long Dish can survive on its own...

said by aztecnology See Profile :

It's a heck of lot cheaper to partner with Echostar for all the "rural" customers who will never see lightspeed, and those who won't be able to get it for a couple of years...
I agree with the "PARTNER" part. But the deal that was proposed was a purchace of Echostar for $13 billion. That would be overpaying and getting a return for AT&T would be difficult.
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aztecnology
O Rly?
Premium
join:2003-02-12
Murrieta, CA
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Don't know how long Dish can survive on its own...

said by TKJunkMail See Profile :

said by aztecnology See Profile :

It's a heck of lot cheaper to partner with Echostar for all the "rural" customers who will never see lightspeed, and those who won't be able to get it for a couple of years...
I agree with the "PARTNER" part. But the deal that was proposed was a purchace of Echostar for $13 billion. That would be overpaying and getting a return for AT&T would be difficult.
That's the point, they will continue to "partner" and not purchase as the rumor suggests.

4-5 years ago an Echostar purchase would have made sense. Now, Dish and DirecTV will probably merge in order to compete against the few large cable and telco's...
--
.:|:. "Independent thinkers tend to ALWAYS have someone not agreeing with them. It's The non-thinkers that always come in legions." John Callari .:|:.
JSRoman
Premium
join:2005-03-10
Callahan, FL

Re: Don't know how long Dish can survive on its own...

4-5 years ago an Echostar purchase would have made sense. Now, Dish and DirecTV will probably merge in order to compete against the few large cable and telco's...
Not going to happen since DTV is owned by News Corp and it would diminish competition from 2 Sat providers to one.DTv has 14+ million sub amd Dish has 11+ million subs, looks like they are competing against cable just fine.

aztecnology
O Rly?
Premium
join:2003-02-12
Murrieta, CA
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Don't know how long Dish can survive on its own...

said by JSRoman See Profile :

Not going to happen since DTV is owned by News Corp and it would diminish competition from 2 Sat providers to one.DTv has 14+ million sub amd Dish has 11+ million subs, looks like they are competing against cable just fine.
... and Apple will never use Intel processors.

"Still, some speculate that DirectTV will attempt to buy EchoStar, creating a combined subscriber base of 27 million. While regulators would not likely support the deal, they could warm up to a merger if the pay-TV market meets competition from phone companies with plans to sell pay-TV, or if Internet video booms".
»www.investors.com/offers/openAcc···20060112
--
.:|:. "Independent thinkers tend to ALWAYS have someone not agreeing with them. It's The non-thinkers that always come in legions." John Callari .:|:.
wombough

join:2001-08-30
Beaufort, SC

Re: Don't know how long Dish can survive on its ow

They already tried to merge and it was rejected by the feds.

juilinsandar
Texas Gooner
Premium
join:2000-07-17
San Benito, TX
·AT&T DSL Service

I'd like to see the the following implemented ASAP:

"AT&T Homezone , an innovative, integrated, next-generation home entertainment service that brings together digital satellite entertainment and computer-based photos and music with broadband. Consumers will have access to satellite TV programming, high-definition and/or standard-definition digital videorecording, Caller ID on the TV, movies on demand, as well as photo-sharing and music from Yahoo! through an award-winning new set-top box."

I've alreaqdy got DSL, satellite and all I need is the 2Wire Homeportal.
--
Crime does not pay ... as well as politics. - Alfred E. Newman

Duo Maxwell
What? Stop Looking At Me Like That

join:2003-03-31
Racine, WI

I'm with you man, I'll take slower internet over not being able to get FSTV! »www.freespeech.org/ »innworldreport.net/ »www.libertynewstv.com/ »sourcecode.freespeech.org/ »www.democracynow.org/

FSTV is the only network that carries news that maters
--
Please visit The Mac Forum We could use some smart masses. - »www.turnyourbackonbush.org/ - »sorryeverybody.com/ - »politics.illhostit.com/

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

WTF?

AT&T had everything it needed to battle cable...including a CABLE COMPANY (ATTB)...that is until they sold it to Comcrap who promptly raised rates 30% and ran our franchise into the ground. Now they want to buy back in to the video distribution market. Go figure.
--
WAR HAS NEVER SOLVED ANYTHING, except ending slavery, facism, communism, Nazism....

insomniac
Oh Yeah
Premium
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL
clubs:
·AT&T Midwest

Re: WTF?

AT&T Broadband and AT&T Wireless were both spun off as separate companies in 2000-01, well before they were purchased by Comcast and Cingular. They dumped the cable venture because they were losing money on it.

»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T
--
If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something.

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

Re: WTF?

ATTB was a cash cow according to their old earning reports.

insomniac
Oh Yeah
Premium
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL
clubs:
·AT&T Midwest

Re: WTF?

One of the reasons AT&T Broadband kept citing for delaying cable modem deployment in the western suburbs of Chicago was "we don't have the capital to do it." Not until they were beaten to the punch by WOW did they deploy cable modem service in my town. And we were one of the lucky ones--other places didn't see broadband until Comcast took over, and Batavia put its municipal proposal on the ballot before SBC and Comcast finally got off their asses.
--
If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something.

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA


1 edit

Re: WTF?

In my area ATTB deployed digital cable and HSI the year before the sale. But whenever any company has issues they pull stupid S out of their butts. Comcrap is even worse with their excuses as are the telcos as they sue saying competition is somehow bad for consumers.

But I remember clearly that they were very profitable in my bitching (2 or 3 screen names ago) about the original spin-off.
--
WAR HAS NEVER SOLVED ANYTHING, except ending slavery, facism, communism, Nazism....
JSRoman
Premium
join:2005-03-10
Callahan, FL

Actually that is bull. I worked for ATT Broadband/Mediaone during this time and we where the only division making money and growing. ATT Management are fools. Mike Armstrong was so eager to do something he spent a crap load of money to buy TCI and Mediaone and then sold us off at a loss. I have absoultely no confidence in ATT management.
DslTrblShoot

join:2004-09-23
Actually that AT&T no longer Exists.....it was bought by SBC.

The rumors were that SBC(which now has assumed the AT&T name) would buy Dishnetwork.
vincom1

join:2005-02-01
Wayne, NJ

Short Term Debt KILLS

AT&T Corp. would have done fine with the purchase of TCI. It's the purchase of MediaOne Group that forced them into the spinoffs. AT&T Corp. wireline business was posting solid but declining profits from competition in the said business. AT&T Wireless as doing very well with the highest revenue per subscriber ratios in the country. with MediaOne came the debt, much of which was short term (a stipulation of the buyout by creditors). AT&T miss calculated and could not handle the short term debt and needed to find a way to deal with it, first the thought of tracking stock, then a spin off. That's what was taking much of the revenue from capital reinvestment.

If AT&T has not purchased MediaOne Group, AT&T Broadband might have been here as the decendant of TCI.

-Vincent
jchambers106

join:2004-12-10
Kansas City, MO

ATT vs cable

how can the beat cable if your out of dsl range and if fttp is not cost effective for att.I tried to get dsl they said putting in a rt is not cost effective for att thats dumb thinking on att's part

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest

Thank God AT&T isn't buying Dish

..because Dish network provides great service, good value, and is a company *I enjoy being a customer of*. Stop to think about that for a second. In our lives, we do business with many companies to get the goods and services we need and want.... but of these companies, how many do you actually *enjoy* working with? How many of them are you proud to support? How many of them do you not mind paying your monthly bill too?

The number is not very many! But for me, Echostar, Dish Network is one of those. I feel it is a good company that provides me good service, great value, and it's existance has helped keep entertainment pricing lower.

Now let me contrast that with SBC (now at&t). They're one of those companies you end up having to do business with... they don't provide you the services you really want... you have to just pick and choose from their offerings... accept their pricing and restrictions and live with it. When they fall down on the job, what do you do... you have to put up with it. Ung.

I'm sure glad they aren't buying Echostar, because I'm sure they'd screw it up royally.

Of course, they people who own Echostar stock purely as an investment probably disagree with me.... but I'd like to think most of the customers of Dish Network understand where I'm coming from.
--
"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!)
Forums » AT&T: Doesn't Need Echostar


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