Qwest joins forces with DirecTV and Echostar

[John Corn]

Denver-based Qwest Communications International Inc., Monday announced partnerships with satellite providers EchoStar Communications Corp. and rival DirecTV Inc.

Qwest and DirecTV will jointly market satellite TV in Phoenix, Tucson and Seattle, first before expanding to other markets. The companies plan to make Qwest the primary billing and service contact for customers and are exploring ways to create advanced services together. The company expects to rollout these services to more markets throughout the remainder of this year and into next.

"We're a major step closer to providing customers with a true one-stop shopping experience -- one bill, one number to call and one Web site to visit for all of their communications and programming needs," said Richard C. Notebaert, Qwest chairman and chief executive.

Under a strategic marketing agreement signed with EchoStar Communications and its DISH Network, Qwest will make DISH Network satellite TV services available to its customers in single family homes in Colorado and Nebraska. The company expects to rollout these services to more markets throughout the remainder of 2003 and into 2004.

http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2003/07/21/daily13.html

[waydwolf]

If this has anything to do with data services, I hear another resounding thud sound like that of DirecDSL. Qwest? Why not Worldcom? Why not Global Crossing? Maybe they should dig up the bones of Northpoint. I mean, if you're going to choose to commit suicide together, you want someone who won't draw it out so slow as Qwest can, you want someone who will slaughter you quick. Meanwhile, more worthy telecom companies go quietly whistling along, unworthy of two of the greatest names in satellite communications in the category of successful seizing of defeat from the jaws of victory. *sigh*

[Richard King]

Qwest Forges Agreement With EchoStar to Offer Satellite Services As Part of Communications Bundle
http://fast.quote.com/fq/%71%75%6F%74%65%74%72%61%63%6B%65%72/%6E%65%77%73?%73%74ory=34927048
Very Strange


DENVER, July 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE:Q) today announced that it has
signed a strategic marketing agreement with EchoStar Communications
Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH) and its DISH Network, the fastest growing satellite
television provider. With this alliance, Qwest will make DISH Network
satellite TV services available to its customers in single family homes in
Colorado and Nebraska. The company expects to rollout these services to more
markets throughout the remainder of 2003 and into 2004.

[Randy_B]

If this has anything to do with data services, I hear another resounding thud sound like that of DirecDSL.

I believe this is solely based on addressing the cable industries foray into voice services. The Baby Bells are being skewered on their inability to provide video services in conjunction with their data and voice services. So, they are really looking for a QUICK, QUICK way to offer TV and movies. I suspect this will be be a much bigger boost for Dish than SBC or Qwest, but it may be a band-aid for the RBOCs for now. Maybe if the RBOCs underwrite PVR service/subsidize PVR equipment, then maybe they can really boost their numbers. Still a market segment that can really grow. + bundle in interactive TV service (down via satellite, up via DSL connected to the receiver).

SBC will even give you and additional $5 off their DSL service if you bundle in your satellite subscription. That makes DSL $24.95 a month for as long as you are a customer. Coupled with another 5% off mobile service (Cingular), that is a pretty sweet deal.

[catman]

Another cellphone ? Oh no . I lost 4 stock compaines because of cell phones . The stock agent told me " cell phones can do more than you can . Some vendors are banning the use of cell phones . They take the cell phone at the door .

[gcutler]

As long as it is a loosely related "Relationship", where If you live in CITY A, your phone company will offer you E* at a discount. Or if you have Dish in CITY A, you can get DSL from the phone company at a discount, if you live in CITY B perhaps the local phone company offers D* at a discount. And you allow the DBS bill to show up in the baby bell envelope (Do it exactly like they did with Long Distance). Any time I had the "Unified Bill", if I had a problem with Long Distance I had to call the long distance company, the Baby Bell was just the point of accepting the bill, Dish just passes on the billing info to the Baby Bell, but any CSR stuff is straight to Dish.

There dosen't need to be any dragging down of one company by another if they form a lose relationship like that.

[James_F]

Read that in the paper (http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0722qwest22.html) this morning. Its too late for Qwest. I already have Cox for Telephone and Internet. If it wasn't for NFLST, I'd be a Cox customer for TV too... :shrug: At least inDemand has MLBEI...

It would be nice to have everything ont he same bill, but in AZ you can't do that yet. I still get a seperate bill for Cox Internet and Cox Telephone. I believe if I had Cox Digital Cable, that would go on w/ my Internet Bill, but that is such a small issue. Cox Telephone and Internet are so much better than horrible DSL and Qwest.

For most of us out here its that Qwest is such a horrible company why would I want to deal with them for my TV? :(

The issue I see here is why did Qwest use Dish in some markets and DirecTV in others? Locals? Or is there another reason? I would assume it would have been cheaper or easier to just go with one or the other...

[gcutler]

It would be nice to have everything ont he same bill, but in AZ you can't do that yet.

In theory...I gave up trying to get Bell South, Bell South Mobility and AT&T Long Distance to work properly under 1 bill. And with all the company buyouts that made it worse. What was funny was Bell South would not accept CC AutoPay unless it was a Bell South credit card. But when I went to seperate bills Bell South Mobility (now Cingular) and AT&T had no problem with cc Autopay using any Mastercard or Visa creditcard. Bell South Local is only holdout, I would switch but might lose my DSL if I did, so I'll put up with checks for Bell South for the meanwhile.

Is it a law in AZ no combined bills???

[Scott Greczkowski]

Updated the thread Title since Qwest has joined forces with both DirecTV and Echostar. :)

[James_F]

Is it a law in AZ no combined bills???
That I'm not sure. Every time I asked Cox or Qwest they would say that the Corporation Commission would not let them do it. It might have to do with the holding companies or something. Who knows :shrug:

I'm just glad I don't have to deal with Qwest anymore. Its nice to see DirecTV being offered by a local provider, but I would never leave Cox for Telephone or Internet so it really doesn't matter to me.