AT&T said it will stop selling DirecTV satellite TV service in the first quarter of 2008. This isn't a terribly surprising move, considering AT&T has long resold EchoStar DISH TV service and recently has been rumored to be interested in acquiring Echostar. The DirecTV relationship came to AT&T through its acquisition of BellSouth, and thus, primarily focuses on the customer base in the Southeast.
Still, AT&T's resale agreement with EchoStar only runs through the end of next year. If AT&T doesn't acquire EchoStar, will it end the relationship next year? If that happens, could DirecTV return as a resale partner, or with U-Verse expanding, would AT&T wave good-bye to satellite TV for good?
For more:
- check out this Dow Jones wire story [1]in CNN Money
- read this story [2] in Multichannel News
Related articles:
- The EchoStar acquisition chatter was running hot, then cold [3]
Links:
[1] http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200712111722DOWJONESDJONLINE000810_FORTUNE5.htm
[2] http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6511916.html?industryid=47196
[3] http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/t-still-interested-echostar/2007-11-19