DirecTV, EchoStar Pay Dearly to Add Subs
By Mike Farrell -- Multichannel News, 5/7/2004 4:55:00 PM
DirecTV Inc. and EchoStar Communications Corp. reported strong subscriber growth in the first quarter -- adding a combined 800,000 net new subscribers -- but that growth came at a cost.
DirecTV blew by analysts' expectations for net subscriber additions, bringing 460,000 new customers into the fold, nearly double the 278,000 net additions most analysts predicted.
But cash flow at the No. 1 direct-broadcast satellite service provider fell far below consensus estimates -- $145 million, compared with expectations of $261 million -- largely due to higher subscriber-acquisition costs and additional expenses related to rolling out additional set-top boxes and digital-video recorders.
Read the rest at http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA415576?display=Breaking+News&promocode=SUPP
By Mike Farrell -- Multichannel News, 5/7/2004 4:55:00 PM
DirecTV Inc. and EchoStar Communications Corp. reported strong subscriber growth in the first quarter -- adding a combined 800,000 net new subscribers -- but that growth came at a cost.
DirecTV blew by analysts' expectations for net subscriber additions, bringing 460,000 new customers into the fold, nearly double the 278,000 net additions most analysts predicted.
But cash flow at the No. 1 direct-broadcast satellite service provider fell far below consensus estimates -- $145 million, compared with expectations of $261 million -- largely due to higher subscriber-acquisition costs and additional expenses related to rolling out additional set-top boxes and digital-video recorders.
Read the rest at http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA415576?display=Breaking+News&promocode=SUPP
