I call for a satellite merger

[Tampa8]

Or consolidation or whatever you want to call it.......
http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/104459/road-to-fcc-30-order-could-be-bumpy

Here's my thinking.
At&t has already indicated/hinted their satellite business may not be their primary form of delivery at some point. I think this could push them to a decision faster.

If DISH says they can not or will not be willing to upgrade and Direct service could phase out, would the FCC then reconsider a merger of course with the caveat that the service must be 3.0. Seems like that would greatly benefit the consumer at that point.
It isn't an easy merger because of incompatible equipment etc but what better time to usher in new equipment that works on both services? And the bargaining power when dealing with programmers is increased.

 

[Brussam]

The FCC is only for cable company monopolies in big cities and regional areas, not for a satellite monopoly for the fly-over states.

 

[Bruce]

I doubt ATT would want to, right now they are going the smart route and looking at buying content (Time Warner-HBO, Warner Bros. Entertainment, DC Comics,TNT, TBS, CNN and Cartoon Network/Adult Swim.)

Look at how great Comcast is doing since it bought NBC Universal, that is why ATT is looking towards content.


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[JSheridan]

There are a lot of places where satellite is the only option and there would be absolutely no competition. That is usually not a good thing at all.

 

[jasonh1965]

The day Dish and AT&T merge, and I'm forced to spend my $$$$ with AT&T is the day I become a full time cord cutter. I've been forced to deal with the AT&T monopoly on phone services for a business I manage and I have rarely seen a more customer service averse group. I will never spend a dollar that isn't required by legal monopoly with them.

 

[bobvick]

The FCC is only for cable company monopolies in big cities and regional areas, not for a satellite monopoly for the fly-over states.

The FCC is most definitely involved, they regulate and license the BSS (Broadcast Satellite Spectrum) those frequencies in the 12.2-12.7Ghz band. FSS or Fixed Satellite Service 3.8-42.Ghz C-Band and 11.7-12.2Ghz are unregulated for consumer use as they are considered common carrier spectrum.


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[navychop]

It would make more sense, years down the road, for Dish to buy sats and uplink facilities.

I don't see it happening. Not in the next 5-10 years.

 

[bobvick]

It would make more sense, years down the road, for Dish to buy sats and uplink facilities.

I don't see it happening. Not in the next 5-10 years.

Frankly, I doubt AT&T wants Dish. They probably want their wireless spectrum, but they know the FCC and DOJ will not allow that.


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[Tampa8]

Frankly, I doubt AT&T wants Dish. They probably want their wireless spectrum, but they know the FCC and DOJ will not allow that.


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No, they don't and that's the whole point - it may be they don't want any satellite service at some point.
Maybe I wasn't clear enough in my post, but based on both what At&T has said (and has been discussed in the DTV forums) and based on the article I linked to it could be there will be no satellite service depending on the 3.0 demands with no merger.

 

[bobvick]

No, they don't and that's the whole point - it may be they don't want any satellite service at some point.
Maybe I wasn't clear enough in my post, but based on both what At&T has said (and has been discussed in the DTV forums) and based on the article I linked to it could be there will be no satellite service depending on the 3.0 demands with no merger.

I don't see what is going to "merge" then. Are you suggesting AT&T will sell its DBS assets to Dish? They'd rather let the billion plus dollars of satellites fall out of the sky.


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[Claude Greiner]

Let Dish die a slow and painful death, on its own.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Let Dish die a slow and painful death, on its own.

Oh Claude ..... your vengeance towards DISH knows no limit huh?

 

[Claude Greiner]

Oh Claude ..... your vengeance towards DISH knows no limit huh?

Just stating the obvious. Look at the subscriber losses last quarter.

The only way I would go for a merger is if Directv bought Dish, and did away with all the upper management.

 

[KAB]

Just stating the obvious. Look at the subscriber losses last quarter.

The only way I would go for a merger is if Directv bought Dish, and did away with all the upper management.

It took many hours and much consternation to "free myself" from AT&T. God forbid your scenario, which we both know, won't happen.

 

[Willh699]

they tried this in 2004, it failed, FCC and DOJ ruled it a attempt of forming a monopoly. and rural areas with no high speed internet truly needs Dish and DirecTV be competition and not merged so the rural areas won't have no choices. maybe wait until rural areas catch up with the city with high speed internet before you snuff out the satellite TV industry

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[navychop]

The gummint can't stop ATT from ceasing satellite operations. And they could sell those assets- not necessarily to Dish. Remember, the Ka sats were intended for Internet service. And to which they might return.

 

[navychop]

How many years until a primary DirecTV sat reaches EOL? THAT will tell us ATT's future intentions. No replacement? Game over. Fire sale about to commence. "Shift to DirecTV Now or lose service."

 

[KaptainRandom]

I feel satelite distribution will find its way back to rural (isolated, 'no other avail) service.
the current urban satelite consumers will move to streaming services (sling, others).
Hopefully, a-la-carte will continue to 'expand', allowing more specific and less unwanted content.

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[navychop]

...just as soon as unlimited data usage becomes common.

 

[Claude Greiner]

When fiber comes to every home in America and data caps are so high it doesn't matter, then satellite service will be obsolete.

AT&T ain't shutting down Directv any time soon