AT&T/Echostar

[lrossnm]

Saw on the CNN ticker,last night, that AT&T might make an offer to acquire Echostar Communications. They want to get a bigger chunk of the TV market.
Could this be the reason for all the HD "BS" from Dish?

 

[Van]

Charlie isnt going to sell regardless of any offer that sbc makes.

 

[Jeffdbs]

I look for SBC/AT&T to purchase Echostar. AT&T will handle the local and long distance telephone market. SBC name will stand for "Satellite-Broadband-Cingular. SBC will become a huge entertainment company.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I know Charlie has disavowed any interest in selling, but I would not be the least bit surprised if negotiations were not taking place. I cannot believe that Charlie would turn down "any" offer.

 

[jhamps10]

I doubt that Charlie will allow it, espically since At&t just started there own version of FIOS tv down in San Antonio. I think AT&t is too worried on there u-verse project to get E*. But that's just my own opinion.

 

[Purogamer]

Charlie said NO to AT&T, why are there like half a dozen topics about this?

If some NATIONAL company came up with an offer, charlie may sell, but to a company that's only in 13 states, he said he wasn't interested in selling his company to that situation. Like him or not, you gotta respect a guy who doesn't just take the money and leave everyone at the mercy of AT&T, he wants to leave us in good hands.

Echostar is NOT actively inviting pursuers, but they will listen to any offer just like any other company would. Enough already...

 

[lrossnm]

If the offer is right Charlie will give a big "YES" to a buy offer. If he were only interested in"whats good for his consumers", half of these threads would be blank!

 

[Spin]

Charlie said NO to AT&T, why are there like half a dozen topics about this?

Just because Charile said NO does not mean it won't happen. Because this would be a closed negotiation charlie would have to publicly say that it isn't happening. If he came out and said that it could happen, without an actual public buyout offer, it would artifically inflate the stock value and lead to those fun SEC investigations.

But I do agree this should all be combined into one thread instead of a dozen

 

[HCI]

Anything is for sale for the right price.

 

[Stargazer]

Maybe yes if he remains CEO and if he sees that the satellite industry is going south because of other new technologies such as IPTV coming about. He may want to venture into something else and use that money to startup another company dealing with that.

 

[Purogamer]

Some of you don't get it. He said NO to AT&T and gave a reason why. Even if AT&T doubled their offer, he's going to say no.

The company can absolutely be bought, but AT&T is no longer a part of the story, find another rumor please...

 

[lee78221]

EchoStar needs to sell, Dish Network is like a little kid in a big boys world.

 

[lee78221]

I doubt that Charlie will allow it, espically since At&t just started there own version of FIOS tv down in San Antonio. I think AT&t is too worried on there u-verse project to get E*. But that's just my own opinion.

All I can see at there website is about DISH Network

 

[TNGTony]

I see Charlie selling a decent sized chunk of Dish to ATT but remaining CEO and board Chairman.

See ya
Tony

 

[richmert]

Charlie isnt going to sell regardless of any offer that sbc makes.

analysts are speculating tht at&t can offer up to 33 dollars a share. i dont know if charlie still owns over 50% of the stock or not but i believe if at&t makes a public offer to E* the shareholders will have to vote on it. then it wont matter what the chairman thinks or wants.
another good point that someone made is that if you think another technology is going to overcome you then the smartest thing to do is sell high now. from what i can tell IPTV has it all over DBS. as a matter of fact i am kind of hoping that the reason they stopped the 411 and went to the 211 is because they already struck a deal with at&t so we can get the best HD available. it just seems funny that a couple of months ago they had lots of recievers and now they are selling only VIP recievers.
in any event the only thing i am really upset about is not buying E* stock when it was at 25 a couple of monts ago.
maybe the reason there are so many thread about this is because it is being reported in so many places and maybe that is because there is truth to it.

 

[richmert]

analysts are speculating tht at&t can offer up to 33 dollars a share. i dont know if charlie still owns over 50% of the stock or not but i believe if at&t makes a public offer to E* the shareholders will have to vote on it. then it wont matter what the chairman thinks or wants.
another good point that someone made is that if you think another technology is going to overcome you then the smartest thing to do is sell high now. from what i can tell IPTV has it all over DBS. as a matter of fact i am kind of hoping that the reason they stopped the 411 and went to the 211 is because they already struck a deal with at&t so we can get the best HD available. it just seems funny that a couple of months ago they had lots of recievers and now they are selling only VIP recievers.
in any event the only thing i am really upset about is not buying E* stock when it was at 25 a couple of monts ago.
maybe the reason there are so many thread about this is because it is being reported in so many places and maybe that is because there is truth to it.

by the way, if you all remember, the same thing happened when voom was sold. lots of reports. everyone denied it. then it happened. i think all you voom kool aid drinkers remember that right? for everyone that denies the sale of E* to the end... PLEASE dont drink the E* kool aid.

 

[lee78221]

by the way, if you all remember, the same thing happened when voom was sold. lots of reports. everyone denied it. then it happened. i think all you voom kool aid drinkers remember that right? for everyone that denies the sale of E* to the end... PLEASE dont drink the E* kool aid.

But the E* kool aid taste so good.:devil: :devil: :devil:

 

[mdonnelly]

analysts are speculating tht at&t can offer up to 33 dollars a share. i dont know if charlie still owns over 50% of the stock or not but i believe if at&t makes a public offer to E* the shareholders will have to vote on it. then it wont matter what the chairman thinks or wants....
in any event the only thing i am really upset about is not buying E* stock when it was at 25 a couple of monts ago.
maybe the reason there are so many thread about this is because it is being reported in so many places and maybe that is because there is truth to it.

There must have been some inside speculation about a buyout back in November when I posted this: http://www.satelliteguys.us/showpost.php?p=404374&postcount=1

 

[dwcobb]

A couple posts point out the possibility of satellite tech "going south" due to other developments.

I just want to point out that this doesn't seem rational over the long haul.

First, it is not cost effective to run cable to all locations. There will always be some market segments that cannot be served by cable systems effectively. Admitedly, that could be a small market over time.

More importantly, the cost to build and launch satellites will go down over time, and satellite companies overall have much less infrastructure than cable companies do.

I simply can't believe that the future isn't going to become more and more about wireless solutions. They are the most flexible technologies and so have a significant technical benefit.

I simply don't believe that satellite will ever be beaten by cable.

I know you can do regional wireless from towers and such so that could work long term for TV when Internet based TV begins to take root, but that is something that is at least 20 years in development, and which even then won't be a solution in all markets.

 

[RandallA]

It's not happening:

http://yahoo.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2006/tc20060109_171716.htm