[Draconis]

The old threads are locked, but the rumor mill has begun buzzing about DIRECTV and Clearwire again.

Rumor Mill: Is DirecTV interested in partnering with Clearwire?

DirecTV appears to be signaling an interest in partnering in some fashion with Clearwire, based upon a recent filing it made with the FCC. In the filing, submitted in regard to Verizon Wireless' proposed $3.9 billion deal to acquire AWS spectrum from SpectrumCo (a joint venture of cable companies Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks) and Cox Communications, DirecTV urges the FCC to require that the cable companies with a minority interest in Clearwire divest their holdings.

FCC Filing

I have to admit, as a prior Clearwire L2 tech who lost his job to the Philippines and Barbados when Clearwire shut down the Las Vegas site to outsource their operations overseas, I'm not too particularly thrilled. But that's for purely personal reasons.

Opening the discussion to see what other folks think.

 

[hdtvfan0001]

I suspect there is some truth to the rumors.

Since sat providers are always keeping their options open for expanded partners in this arena...Clearwire certainly could be one of several candidates.

 

[Old_School]

Personally i hope not...


Being a former Clear customer for a little over a year i do have to say it was hell.. We always carried the highest speed package with them and on a really good day we where lucky to get 1.5mbps down and .20mbps up that being less than 15000ft from the tower!

 

[Stuart Sweet]

Well someone's partnering with someone, DIRECTV is on Clear's home page.

 

[Old_School]

Well someone's partnering with someone, DIRECTV is on Clear's home page.

Clear offers a phone, internet, TV bundle and Directv provides the TV part... similar to what Verizon did before Fios. or atleast they did when we where customers

 

[carl6]

I've got Clear as a backup to my cable internet, and as something I can grab and take mobile/elsewhere if I need to. Have to admit, they are mediocre at best and useless at worst for internet. Not sure what will happen to Clear down the road. Sprint is going to real 4G so they are dropping off Clear, leaving Clear wanting for customers. I suspect the DirecTV partnering is a desperate attempt on their part to garner new customers.

 

[bobnielsen]

I've got Clear as a backup to my cable internet, and as something I can grab and take mobile/elsewhere if I need to. Have to admit, they are mediocre at best and useless at worst for internet. Not sure what will happen to Clear down the road. Sprint is going to real 4G so they are dropping off Clear, leaving Clear wanting for customers. I suspect the DirecTV partnering is a desperate attempt on their part to garner new customers.

Clear is working on a transition from WiMax to LTE, but it's not happening very fast and I wonder if their pockets are deep enough to survive. If nothing happens soon I will be looking for a new ISP.

 

[zimm7778]

I had Clearwire when we lived in Jacksonville for a little while. And by a little while I mean less than a week. Could barely pick up signal and when I did it was so slow I was sure dial up was faster.

 

[Old_School]

Clear is working on a transition from WiMax to LTE, but it's not happening very fast and I wonder if their pockets are deep enough to survive. If nothing happens soon I will be looking for a new ISP.

Personally i think the WiMax system is what's holding them back.... If they are indeed switching to a LTE system i think it be in there best interest to step it up a bit then i think clear could be a decent provider.

Come Feb when my current contract with Comcast is done, i will be looking into other ISP's. Comcast's internet service i will admit is pretty good but, it not worth 72.95 a month:eek2: that it will shoot up to after the promo expires.