More mobile content improves ecosystem for PicoP.
AT&T's Randall Stephenson plans to lean on DirecTV relationships to strike new media deals.
Dish Network's Sling TV, which offers a bundle of a dozen cable channels for $20 a month, is seen as the first to break through with a credible alternative to cable TV service. But it won't be the last. Verizon has said it will launch its own over-the-top service later this year.
AT&T hopes to strike new deals through its pending $48.5 billion acquisition of satellite TV provider DirecTV, which will give the carrier 20.3 million subscribers to add to its own 5.7 million U-Verse TV customers. More important, it will give AT&T the relationships and clout it needs to negotiate more online content deals for its customers. Stephenson said he expects the takeover to be completed in the first half of the year, and added that mobile television is a top priority.
Stephenson also talked about Otter Media -- AT&T's joint venture with the Chernin Group to acquire, invest in and launch online video services -- as a way to deliver online content.
"I expect customers to walk out the door with content on their mobile device," he said, noting that he's looking at multiple channels and channel lineups that could be delivered to tablet, smartphone and broadband customers. "Stay tuned."
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