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AT&T: Doesn't Need Echostar
CFO says company has everything it needs to battle cable
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.
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arundc
join:2004-08-11

arundc

Member

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 Member
join:2000-07-17
San Benito, TX

juilinsandar

Premium Member

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

said by arundc:

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.

aztecnology
O Rly?
Premium Member
join:2003-02-12
Murrieta, CA

aztecnology to arundc

Premium Member

to arundc
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...

jlhugh
Premium Member
join:2001-09-07
Cedar Creek, TX

jlhugh

Premium Member

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

said by aztecnology:

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.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5 to aztecnology

Premium Member

to aztecnology

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

said by aztecnology:

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.

aztecnology
O Rly?
Premium Member
join:2003-02-12
Murrieta, CA

aztecnology

Premium Member

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

said by FFH5:
said by aztecnology:

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...
caco
Premium Member
join:2005-03-10
Whittier, AK

caco

Premium Member

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 Member
join:2003-02-12
Murrieta, CA

aztecnology

Premium Member

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

said by caco:

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 ··· 20060112
wombough
join:2001-08-30
Albany, GA

wombough

Member

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 Member
join:2000-07-17
San Benito, TX

juilinsandar to aztecnology

Premium Member

to aztecnology
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.

Parogadi
What? Stop Looking At Me Like That
Premium Member
join:2003-03-31
Racine, WI

Parogadi to arundc

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to arundc
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

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

oliphant

Premium Member

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.

insomniac
Oh Yeah
Premium Member
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL

insomniac

Premium Member

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

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

oliphant

Premium Member

Re: WTF?

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

insomniac
Oh Yeah
Premium Member
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL

insomniac

Premium Member

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.

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

1 edit

oliphant

Premium Member

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.
caco
Premium Member
join:2005-03-10
Whittier, AK

1 recommendation

caco to insomniac

Premium Member

to insomniac
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.
Turbulent
join:2004-09-23
Lubbock, TX

Turbulent to oliphant

Member

to oliphant
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

vincom1

Member

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

jchambers106

Member

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 Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Netgear WNDR3700v2
Zoom 5341J

KrK

Premium Member

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.