Does AT&T want Dish?

[Scott Greczkowski]

http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/29/news/fortune500/att_echostar/

Does Ma Bell want a DISH?
There are rumors that AT&T may bid for EchoStar. Speculation seems premature but a deal makes sense.
December 29, 2005: 12:36 PM EST
By Paul R. La Monica, CNNMoney.com senior writer

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – Cable companies and telecoms are at each other's throats.

Cablers Comcast (Research) and Cox are trying to steal customers from the Baby Bells by offering Internet phone services while the major telecoms, most notably Verizon (Research), are investing in new technology to offer digital video services over phone lines.
So how will this battle for customers ultimately pan out? Some analysts say it wouldn't be a surprise if more merger activity shakes up the world of cable and telecom.

Rumors have made the rounds lately that AT&T (Research) (formerly known as SBC) may be interested in acquiring EchoStar (Research), the nation's second largest satellite TV firm. Shares of EchoStar have gained more than 11 percent since mid-November.

Spokespeople for the two companies would not comment on the speculation. But some analysts say a deal makes sense.
A run for DirecTV (Research), the number one satellite company, is not seen as likely since it is controlled by media conglomerate News Corp (Research).

In addition, AT&T and EchoStar are already partners. In 2004, SBC and EchoStar launched a co-branded satellite TV service for SBC customers called the SBC/DISH Network.

But this joint venture might not be enough to make AT&T a serious player in video.

Read the rest at:
http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/29/news/fortune500/att_echostar

 

[John Kotches]

Well this would certainly make sense for the ViP series, of products wouldn't it?

Especially with ATT/SBC rolling out the high speed fiber services.

Regards,

 

[Stargazer]

I hope AT&T does not acquire Dish Network. They charge for collect calls that you do not accept. I called them and they would not take all the charges off. I told them that I wanted to hear my voice or someone else's voice that was saying "yes" when they ask you if you want to accept the collect call. They did not say anything about that and just told me I had to pay. I told them to sue me if they wanted to. They shut the long distance off and I never heard from them again. I think they took one off but not the other and claimed we owed around $4. It was the principal of the matter and I figured if they did it this time they would do it again.

 

[Juan]

I hope AT&T does not acquire Dish Network. They charge for collect calls that you do not accept. I called them and they would not take all the charges off. I told them that I wanted to hear my voice or someone else's voice that was saying "yes" when they ask you if you want to accept the collect call. They did not say anything about that and just told me I had to pay. I told them to sue me if they wanted to. They shut the long distance off and I never heard from them again. I think they took one off but not the other and claimed we owed around $4. It was the principal of the matter and I figured if they did it this time they would do it again.

Thats the "old"ATT the new "ATT" is really SBC

 

[Stargazer]

It still gives AT&T a bad name if they rip people off like that.

 

[waltinvt]

What about the AT&T - Cingular Wireless connection? Not sure who owns who but I know they combined wireless service.

 

[datwell]

What about the AT&T - Cingular Wireless connection? Not sure who owns who but I know they combined wireless service.

It was announced that the Cingular name would be retained for the wireless portion and the rest of the conglomerate would use the AT&T name. SBC and Bell South are partnering on the Cingular wireless effort, SBC owns everything else.

--Doug

 

[rad]

It was announced that the Cingular name would be retained for the wireless portion and the rest of the conglomerate would use the AT&T name. SBC and Bell South are partnering on the Cingular wireless effort, SBC owns everything else.

--Doug

And the rumors of AT&T buying BellSouth are starting to make the rounds again. Could get interesting.

 

[mattb]

Yeah its interesting to see the once broken up "teleco" industry become "Ma-Bell" once again!

 

[OoTLink]

Isn't "The New AT&T" bigger than the ma-bell of yore?

Why do people like the idea of giant companies eating up giant companies so much? I think the first thing I'd do if Dish got bought by AT&T is cancel my account. The SBC we had was .. downright sickening in the billing department.

 

[goaliebob99]

This is all the circle of life in the business cycle We just went full circle in 10 years. I suspect 10-15 years from now we will be talking about this again

 

[Sarang]

Well as long as they don't force the lease only sh*t the Cable company does I won't mind as much and as long as the Dish products don't degrade into the shittiness that is SBC PPPoE DSL. Hopefully the VOD will end up Fiber Optic and be the delivery mechanism for local HD-LiL's with SBC in the area. I think it would be bloody brilliant. You would free up more bandwidth for people without SBC in the area for their HD-LiL's and Dish may possibly be able to offer more HD nationals in general because of this or would the Ethernet ports not be able to handle that kind of bandwidth? Someone enlighten me here. Btw Ma Bell WAS a monopoly, however NOW we have Sprint and MCI for phone providers as well as Time Warner Cable.

 

[Juan]

Isn't "The New AT&T" bigger than the ma-bell of yore?

.

nope!! The ATT of yore once employed over 1 million people!!! Once they merge with Verizon they will be close!!

 

[Stargazer]

AT&T is a name that people recognize therefore they took that name.

 

[BigJohn2]

AT&T is a name that people recognize therefore they took that name.

That is true, but if I remember from what the FCC said they had to use the At&T name for 2 years are the FCC weren't going to approve the merger.

Later,

BigJohn2

 

[sA :: Shaggy]

Now could this be a good thing. I personally would hate if AT&T took over but lets try to find a positive.
1. Maybe with all the money they could secure the feeds make it hack proof.
2. could make it so all the HD is true HD and get ESPN2 HD and so on.
3. bundle your phone w/ TV.
4. keep prices lower do to how big AT&T is they have leverage.
5. invent new technology (and TEST IT)

 

[mattb]

Just think, if E* and AT&T (SBC) merge, they will be able to save costs on Indian Tech support (SBC's support is in India) and I guess from the talks here (Dish) uses a call center over there also!

 

[Juan]

Just think, if E* and AT&T (SBC) merge, they will be able to save costs on Indian Tech support (SBC's support is in India) and I guess from the talks here (Dish) uses a call center over there also!

I KNOW SBC's tech support is not in India!!!!

 

[mattb]

I KNOW SBC's tech support is not in India!!!!

Some of their DSL support is read the SBC Forums on DSLreports

 

[dragon002]

http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/29/news/fortune500/att_echostar/

Does Ma Bell want a DISH?
There are rumors that AT&T may bid for EchoStar. Speculation seems premature but a deal makes sense.
December 29, 2005: 12:36 PM EST
By Paul R. La Monica, CNNMoney.com senior writer

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – Cable companies and telecoms are at each other's throats.

Cablers Comcast (Research) and Cox are trying to steal customers from the Baby Bells by offering Internet phone services while the major telecoms, most notably Verizon (Research), are investing in new technology to offer digital video services over phone lines.
So how will this battle for customers ultimately pan out? Some analysts say it wouldn't be a surprise if more merger activity shakes up the world of cable and telecom.

Rumors have made the rounds lately that AT&T (Research) (formerly known as SBC) may be interested in acquiring EchoStar (Research), the nation's second largest satellite TV firm. Shares of EchoStar have gained more than 11 percent since mid-November.

Spokespeople for the two companies would not comment on the speculation. But some analysts say a deal makes sense.
A run for DirecTV (Research), the number one satellite company, is not seen as likely since it is controlled by media conglomerate News Corp (Research).

In addition, AT&T and EchoStar are already partners. In 2004, SBC and EchoStar launched a co-branded satellite TV service for SBC customers called the SBC/DISH Network.

But this joint venture might not be enough to make AT&T a serious player in video.

Read the rest at:
http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/29/news/fortune500/att_echostar

scott,

this sort of vindicates our 2005 predictions of a take-over of dish, just a little late

how is this one...att announces, then CBS/redstone jump in with a competing offer. big bidding battle and ergen gets richer than hes EVER been. safe prediction??!!