Post by dkennedy on Jun 12, 2006 5:15:09 GMT -5
WildBlue Inks EchoStar, DirecTV
June 9, 2006
By Karen Brown, Multichannel News
WildBlue Communications Inc. is literally beaming over two new wholesale-distribution deals that will bring its satellite-broadband Internet service into Dish Network and DirecTV Inc. customer households.
The Denver-based outfit signed a pair of five-year wholesale-distribution agreements with DirecTV and EchoStar Communications Corp. Under the pacts, WildBlue will be the only satellite-based Internet option offered to the direct-broadcast satellite operators’ combined 27 million subscribers.
The two DBS providers intend to start offering WildBlue Internet service in the coming months. Details on pricing and availability have not yet been released.
The two pacts mark the biggest distribution deals so far for WildBlue, which also has an agreement with AT&T Inc. to market service to customers in areas where digital-subscriber-line service can’t reach. WildBlue launched in June 2005, and it now claims about 50,000 customers.
"Our agreements with DirecTV and EchoStar are a turning point for WildBlue," CEO David Leonard said. "We have worked very hard this year to make our affordable broadband Internet service available to every home and small business across the continental United States, and we are pleased to be working with DirecTV and EchoStar to further strengthen our presence nationwide and to extend their respective product offerings, as well."
June 9, 2006
By Karen Brown, Multichannel News
WildBlue Communications Inc. is literally beaming over two new wholesale-distribution deals that will bring its satellite-broadband Internet service into Dish Network and DirecTV Inc. customer households.
The Denver-based outfit signed a pair of five-year wholesale-distribution agreements with DirecTV and EchoStar Communications Corp. Under the pacts, WildBlue will be the only satellite-based Internet option offered to the direct-broadcast satellite operators’ combined 27 million subscribers.
The two DBS providers intend to start offering WildBlue Internet service in the coming months. Details on pricing and availability have not yet been released.
The two pacts mark the biggest distribution deals so far for WildBlue, which also has an agreement with AT&T Inc. to market service to customers in areas where digital-subscriber-line service can’t reach. WildBlue launched in June 2005, and it now claims about 50,000 customers.
"Our agreements with DirecTV and EchoStar are a turning point for WildBlue," CEO David Leonard said. "We have worked very hard this year to make our affordable broadband Internet service available to every home and small business across the continental United States, and we are pleased to be working with DirecTV and EchoStar to further strengthen our presence nationwide and to extend their respective product offerings, as well."