Frontier to Re-sell AT&T Wireless Service
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, November 21, 2011 · 
·
Frontier Communications Corporation announced November 15 that it has reached a three-year agency agreement with AT&T to re-sell AT&T smartphones, tablets and applications, as well as access to its mobile broadband network.
Frontier will now be able to bundle its broadband, voice and satellite TV services with AT&T wireless service. AT&T Mobility and Frontier plan to trial the offering in the first half of 2012; once operational processes are complete, the offering will be available throughout Frontier’s nationwide footprint. Read more
Big Quarter for DirecTV
Posted by Steve Fravel on Friday, November 4, 2011 · ·
DirecTV is reporting its largest third-quarter subscriber increase in the last five years. From July to September, Direct TV added 327,000 subscribers. This increase is likely the result of the NFL Sunday Ticket promotion DirecTV launched earlier this year.
DirecTV also is reporting a larger average revenue per U.S. user, up 3.6% from a year ago. The company’s stock is trading at a higher price, reflecting a 6.2% increase.
In related news, AT&T announced that it had renewed its agreement to re-sell DirecTV, agreeing to a three-year extension.
XBox 360 to Offer FiOS, Xfinity On-Demand Content
Posted by Jesse Ward on Friday, October 7, 2011 · ·
As had been rumored for some time, Microsoft announced yesterday that it will expand the video content available over its Xbox Live system to pay-TV subscribers in most major markets. Microsoft has deals in place with nearly 40 entertainment providers including AT&T, Comcast and Verizon FiOS, as well as Bravo, ESPN, HBO GO and Syfy. This is in addition to the inherent gaming services and previously announced content from Hulu Plus, Netflix and Google’s YouTube which are available on the Xbox.
Pay-TV subscribers will need to authenticate in order to access the content through the Xbox system. In general, users also will need to subscribe to video and broadband services from their traditional service provider (in other words, cord cutting is not an option), and subscribe to a $60 per year Xbox Live Gold membership. (Microsoft confirmed today that only a small amount of content will be available on the Xbox without authentication and Xbox Gold status.) Read more
AT&T Partners with Digi on Smart Grid Applications
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, August 22, 2011 · (1) ·
AT&T announced last week that it will partner with Digi International to develop a suite of products and services designed to bring connectivity to energy-oriented devices in homes and businesses. The applications, called Digi X-Grid Solutions, will be used for the 13 million smart meters that connect to AT&T’s wireless network. (This figure includes both meters directly connected to AT&T’s network and meters that use AT&T as backhaul.) In addition, utilities and software providers that develop offerings for the smart grid industry will be able to use the solutions. Read more
VOTW: AT&T’s ‘Long Distance’ (1941)
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, August 15, 2011 · ·
And last but not least, our video of the week (VOTW). A 1941 promotional film for AT&T touts the praises of long-distance technology, courtesy of the Prelinger Archives.
Have you recently seen a funny, entertaining or informational video? The New Edge would love to hear from you. Please send your suggestions for the next VOTW to jward@ntca.org and your video might be featured in an upcoming issue.
AT&T Gets Out of the ESPN 3D Game
Posted by Josh Seidemann on Friday, August 5, 2011 · ·
UVERSE sports fans searching for a football to fly through their living rooms will be bereft of that thrill now that AT&T has terminated its contract for ESPN 3D. AT&T cited a confluence of high prices and low demand.
ESPN 3D was introduced in 2010 and has covered the FIFA World Cup, NBA Finals, NCAA football and basketball and Major League Baseball. But despite the assumed thrill of being at the center of the action, too few AT&T customers were interested in paying $10 per month to experience it. Read more
Analysis: Usage Caps Now Apply to 56% of Broadband Users
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, May 2, 2011 · ·
AT&T will implement its new usage caps and overage charges for all high-speed Internet customers today, although the policy was first announced back in March.
Analysts are suggesting that the telco is paving the way for other Internet service providers to enact innovative pricing mechanisms designed to curtail bandwidth hogs and, more importantly, protect network investment.
AT&T has placed a 150 GB usage cap on DSL services and a 250 GB cap on U-verse services. Users who exceed the new usage cap three times during the life of their account will be charged overages — $10 for every 50 GB over the respective limit.
With this new initiative AT&T is targeting what it considers consistently heavy users. AT&T states that its average DSL customer uses around 18 GB a month and, as a result, these changes will only impact about 2% of all DSL customers who consume “a disproportionate amount of bandwidth.”
AT&T is not alone in its quest to curtail bandwidth hogs. Nationwide cable providers including Comcast, Cox Communications and Charter Communications already have usage ceilings in place; however, they warn users who exceed the limits rather than charge them for the extra usage.
In all, approximately 42 million of the country’s 75 million broadband subscribers, or 56% have some form of caps, according to a Multichannel News analysis based on Leichtman Research Group’s subscriber estimates for the fourth quarter of 2010. Read more