DirecTV, Echostar (Dish Network) to merge?

In alt.dbs.echostar John Lodge wrote:
Thomas,

The reason ATT is looking to dump their FORMER Cash Cow "Long Distance"
is because of the advent of Free or Bundled Long Distance with Cell
Phones and VOIP service. Long Distance is no longer the cash cow it once
was. In time, Long Distance will be NO MORE, better to unload it now
before that division becomes virtually valueless.


Yes, I know that. It has been their nemisis for many years now. In fact,
until they bought up their first CLEC, I believe there were marginallized to
being a failing long distance company and a backbone provider to the Internet.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:

That amounts to 22% of the consumer telecom spending and 34% of the business
telecom spending; according to this article:

http://www.tnstelecoms.com/press-3-13-06.html

Yes, it is big. A monopoly? No. Rapidly becoming one? No, not without
further aquisitions.

Can't be a monopoly in many areas. Digital phone service via Cox Cable
is growing rapidly in this area. Long distance, local, all the bells
and whistles as Ma Bell, but much cheaper. And it uses the same phone
and internal phone lines as before. One can even keep the same phone
number (a $5 fee, but often waived.)

The new AT&T company is the largest telecommunications company in the
country and one of the largest in the world.


That isn't in doubt.

Doesn't have to be a monopoly to be dominant. Which I think was the
point.


Actually, he indicated that it was growing toward being the AT&T of old
and
followed by a mention of its monopoly and previous breakup. Is there
something wrong with my questioning of that statement? I don't believe
there
is a risk of monopoly at this time as there are still many competitors and
quite a bit of room for consolidation.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1


Nothing wrong with questioning it but I don't think that was his point. I
think we all realize a monopoly is unlikely.

I didn't take his point so literally. More to the point that they are
growing and becoming the dominant player in the game, very much as the old
AT&T was.

Your classifying AT&T as being only regional was off the mark.

In alt.dbs.echostar Bob wrote:

Nothing wrong with questioning it but I don't think that was his point. I
think we all realize a monopoly is unlikely.

I didn't take his point so literally. More to the point that they are
growing and becoming the dominant player in the game, very much as the old
AT&T was.

Your classifying AT&T as being only regional was off the mark.


I think that Verizon makes an excellent counter to them. In fact, Comcast
also makes a decent counter to them [although they do not sell backbone
connections]. AT&T and Verizon are largely bound to a region, except where
their Internet connectivity is concerned as backbone providers, and Comcast
[and others] are able to compete with them on their own turf. This is the
reason I indicate they are regional. AT&T won't be coming to Minneapolis and
competing with QWest anytime soon.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 12:01:25 -0500, "Thomas T. Veldhouse"
wrote:

In alt.dbs.echostar Mark Lloyd wrote:

Have you seen any programming using MPEG4, other than local channels?

It's a tradeoff between (possibly) a few more channels, and a better
DVR.

Well, it is likely to be all new channels after a certain point in time.

Note the new sats carry locals for Alaska and Hawaii as well as HD
locals. The new 5-LNB dish is required for getting them, not just for
HD.

I
have given up on a future that contains both Tivo and DirecTV in the same box.

Separate boxes WOULD be better. The problem now is that no standalone
DVRs have a simple, general-purpose HD INPUT. You'd be left with no
way to use the DVR on HD shows (in HD quality).

Actually, you might be able to accomplish something if you had an ATSC
modulator. Are those available at reasonable prices? Probably not.
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what
to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb
contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin

"Thomas T. Veldhouse" wrote in message
...
In alt.dbs.echostar Jude Cormier wrote:

Yes, it is big. A monopoly? No. Rapidly becoming one? No, not
without
further aquisitions.


And when it acquires BellSouth, what will be then? (I'm asking
seriously,
not being sarcastic)


The aquisition needs to be approved. If there is a risk of a new monopoly
forming, then I doubt it will be approved. Personally, I wish Verizon
would
buy QWest, to put some life back into the old dusty relic. There are big
players in the industry, and most of them are descended from the AT&T of
old
[pre-breakup]. Thus, I do not fear [yet] that they are growing towards a
monopoly.


thanks for your input. I find it interesting how some of the players of old
are being revived as new players in today's very competitive telecom
industries.

In alt.dbs.echostar Mark Lloyd wrote:

Separate boxes WOULD be better. The problem now is that no standalone
DVRs have a simple, general-purpose HD INPUT. You'd be left with no
way to use the DVR on HD shows (in HD quality).

Actually, you might be able to accomplish something if you had an ATSC
modulator. Are those available at reasonable prices? Probably not.

The DVR that DirecTV currently offers for HDTV has two high definition DirecTV
tuners (which do standard definition as well) and two ATSC tuners in it to
record locals off of the air. Don't forget the wonderful Tivo software.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

In alt.dbs.echostar Jude Cormier wrote:
thanks for your input. I find it interesting how some of the players of old
are being revived as new players in today's very competitive telecom
industries.


I think they are much different companies than they were.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

In article ,
"Thomas T. Veldhouse" wrote:

In alt.dbs.echostar Mark Lloyd wrote:

Separate boxes WOULD be better. The problem now is that no standalone
DVRs have a simple, general-purpose HD INPUT. You'd be left with no
way to use the DVR on HD shows (in HD quality).

Actually, you might be able to accomplish something if you had an ATSC
modulator. Are those available at reasonable prices? Probably not.

The DVR that DirecTV currently offers for HDTV has two high definition DirecTV
tuners (which do standard definition as well) and two ATSC tuners in it to
record locals off of the air. Don't forget the wonderful Tivo software.

They only record DIGITAL locals. HD or SD.

In alt.dbs.echostar Jack Zwick wrote:
In article ,
"Thomas T. Veldhouse" wrote:

In alt.dbs.echostar Mark Lloyd wrote:

Separate boxes WOULD be better. The problem now is that no standalone
DVRs have a simple, general-purpose HD INPUT. You'd be left with no
way to use the DVR on HD shows (in HD quality).

Actually, you might be able to accomplish something if you had an ATSC
modulator. Are those available at reasonable prices? Probably not.

The DVR that DirecTV currently offers for HDTV has two high definition DirecTV
tuners (which do standard definition as well) and two ATSC tuners in it to
record locals off of the air. Don't forget the wonderful Tivo software.

They only record DIGITAL locals. HD or SD.

That's what I said! They are DirecTV tuners [which are digital by default]
and ATSC is for high definition, which is digital by default.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1