Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Report: AT&T May Buy EchoStar (DISH satellite TV)
tvpredictions.com ^ | September 27, 2007 | Phillip Swann

Posted on 09/27/2007 2:31:36 PM PDT by Las Vegas Dave

Washington, D.C. (September 27, 2007) -- AT&T has offered to buy EchoStar, the nation's second largest satellite TV service.

That's according to an article today from TheStreet.com.

The web site reports that AT&T has offered $55 a share, while the satcaster may be holding out for $65 a share.

The deal would seem to make sense for both companies.

EchoStar is under pressure to increase spending on several initiatives, including High-Definition TV, to keep pace with rival DIRECTV and the cable operators. AT&T could supply the financing, for instance, for EchoStar to launch new satellite to expand high-def capacity.

Meanwhile, AT&T's TV service, u-Verse, has just broken the 100,000 subscriber mark after more than two years. Buying EchoStar would give the telco more than 13 million video subscribers overnight.

TheStreet.com says Oppenheimer analyst Tom Eagan has raised his rating on EchoStar in anticipation of a AT&T deal. He believes AT&T would likely pay about $56 a share for the satcaster.

Both companies declined to comment on Thursday, TheStreet.com reports.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: ergen; hdtv; liar; satellitetv; snake; telecom
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041 next last
To: ElkGroveDan
Why don’t you get Satellite Internet? I use the Hughes.net service (it used to be DirectWay). I live in an area that will never see cable service and has no DSL service. Satellite was the only way to go.
21 posted on 09/27/2007 3:43:50 PM PDT by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave
Echo Star my ass!

I just want AT&T to give my neighborhood the high speed access (DSL) we were promised as part of the BellSouth buyout. Supposed to happen by last July. Uh-huh.

22 posted on 09/27/2007 3:51:50 PM PDT by upchuck (Psychiatrists have labeled George Bush's South-of-the-Border obsession as mexicosis. ~ firehat)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

Does Dish have any say in this at all?


23 posted on 09/27/2007 3:53:19 PM PDT by gidget7 ( Vote for the Arsenal of Democracy, because America RUNS on Duncan!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gidget7
Does Dish have any say in this at all?

Yes, they are saying "show me the money"..

24 posted on 09/27/2007 3:58:29 PM PDT by Las Vegas Dave ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." Hillary Clinton, June 2004.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Red_Devil 232
Why don’t you get Satellite Internet?

Because of the cost for one! Its 3 times more expensive and if its cloudy, your out of luck!

25 posted on 09/27/2007 4:00:26 PM PDT by Bommer (“He that controls the spice controls the universe!” (unfortunately that spice is Nutmeg!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: vetsvette
I really am happy that you made $$$$! IMHO... and take it for that... I think ergen is a snake, liar and the truth is not in him. He has stabbed many people in the back over the years. Minus the political stuff, he is a lot like george soros. If ergen sells, Dish will gain many home satellite viewers that remember ergen from the late 70’s forward.

LLS

26 posted on 09/27/2007 4:02:10 PM PDT by LibLieSlayer (Support America, Kill terrorists, Destroy dims!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: afnamvet

You didn’t take a lump sum? Look at all of the retirement paper work you have or will get. It states that the plan can be eliminated at any time.
I have seen too many plans eliminted to not take the lump sum.


27 posted on 09/27/2007 4:10:43 PM PDT by em2vn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: LibLieSlayer; vetsvette

Hmmm... Ergen certainly generates a lot of passions. Personally I like his system cause it’s cheap, and easy to hack (though I am a subscriber ;-)


28 posted on 09/27/2007 4:49:50 PM PDT by Smogger (It's the WOT Stupid)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: keepitreal
I keep getting AT&T out of my life and it comes back in another form.

LOL! I guess we'll all be assimilated. In my case, over and over again!

29 posted on 09/27/2007 4:55:48 PM PDT by 6ppc (It's torch and pitchfork time)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: afnamvet

My wife started with Illinois Bell about that time, and has stayed through the many incarnations of AT&T, I don’t think there are many that have made it that long.


30 posted on 09/27/2007 5:25:34 PM PDT by RWR8189 (Fred Thompson for President)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Bommer
You are very wrong about satellite reception! When it is cloudy ... no problem ... lite rain no problem. Heavy thunder storm you lose reception.

Cost is something to consider though. It all comes down to what you are willing to pay for a high speed Internet connection. Dial up Internet speeds are just unacceptable for me.

31 posted on 09/27/2007 7:01:25 PM PDT by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Red_Devil 232
You are very wrong about satellite reception! When it is cloudy ... no problem ... lite rain no problem. Heavy thunder storm you lose reception.

And on the heavy T-Storm; usually only when a cell is between your dish and the sat. Heavy rain, unless it is weighing down a tree branch in front of the dish, usually isn't a problem either.

32 posted on 09/27/2007 7:27:30 PM PDT by AFreeBird (Will NOT vote for Rudy. <--- notice the period)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: AFreeBird

You are right about the T-Storm cells. Since the weather in my area usually comes from the direction the dish is pointed I get a good two to three min. heads up on sever weather near my house.


33 posted on 09/27/2007 7:47:42 PM PDT by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

AT&T’s acquisition of TCI sure worked out, didn’t it. Don’t they ever learn?


34 posted on 09/27/2007 8:03:33 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red_Devil 232

I heard that it’s not reliable yet. Thanks I’ll look into that. F-ing Comcast, won’t string a quarter mile cable for 40-60 homes


35 posted on 09/27/2007 9:50:51 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (Take the wheel, Fred.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: afnamvet
What AT&T wants, AT&T usually gets.

Except I don't believe that they wanted to be busted up in the 1980s.

36 posted on 09/27/2007 11:06:18 PM PDT by taxesareforever (Never forget Matt Maupin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: ElkGroveDan

I have had my Hughes satellite service for over a year and I have never had a problem with it. I have the Pro service $70/month which allow 2 computers to be on line at same time using a Linksys router. I would not know I was not on a cable system except for the speed is a little slower. I think the satellite may be a little faster than DSL but it sure beats dial up!


37 posted on 09/28/2007 2:41:49 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

This would be a great merger and help Echostar improve HDTV offerings as well as other services.


38 posted on 09/28/2007 7:34:53 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom
AT&T’s acquisition of TCI sure worked out, didn’t it. Don’t they ever learn?

I was working at MaBell when that happened, and then later Armstrong sold it to Concast(sic) and left to become their CEO.

I knew something was up when they didn't integrate the payroll systems. Personally, I thought having a broadband pipe into homes was a perfect fit, and it passed FCC/FTC muster, so why sell it?

Armstrong was a greedy SOB, that's why. Of course the AT&T corporate culture, bean counters and the board, have made costly mistakes before.

Once upon a time AT&T had basically invented cellular technology. Some bean counters said: we'll never make any money off this, and they sold it. Years later, AT&T paid (IIRC) some 12 billion for McCaw Wireless. Then years later, sold Wireless to Congular. Then SBC buys/merges (I was laid off right before that - right sizing the headcount) AT&T and Cingular is AT&T again.

I think all these games, and that's what they are, were probably planned out long ago to shuffle money around and enrich a lot of the "players", and get the regulators out of the way as much as possible.

Essentially, they want to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

I worked at the Labs for a time, and the culture there was the way it was because, as explained to me, when the parent had a built in 35% profit margin(monopoly times), money can be spent fairly freely. I could self approve PO's for a limited amount $$$$, all day long.

I never abused the privilege, but it was nice to be able to write a PO for something I needed right away without having to go plead with the boss for approval, on things he basically didn't understand anyway. I might have had to justify it to him later if he asked, but it was nice to be entrusted with the ability.

I miss working there. Good people were there at the Labs.

39 posted on 09/28/2007 1:43:35 PM PDT by AFreeBird (Will NOT vote for Rudy. <--- notice the period)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: upchuck
high speed access (DSL)

I've some bad news for you, sunshine....DSL is not really high speed. Their top of the line 1.5 Mbs is less than 1/3 basic cable speed.

40 posted on 09/29/2007 6:05:04 PM PDT by j_tull (Massachusetts, the Gay State. Once the leader of the American Revolution, now leading its demise.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson