Report: Dish, DirecTV Discuss Possible Merger

Fox ^ | Matt Egan

[SoFloFreeper]

In response to Comcast’s (CMCSA) $45 billion buyout of Time Warner Cable (TWC), Dish Network (DISH) has reportedly sent feelers out to rival DirecTV (DTV) about a possible combination of the two satellite television companies.

The potential tie-up would marry the two largest U.S. satellite TV operators, creating a juggernaut with about 34 million subscribers.

According to Bloomberg News, Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen recently approached DirecTV CEO Mike White about a merger. White is reluctant to go ahead with formal talks due to concerns about opposition from antitrust regulators, the news service said.

[dennisw]

DishTV is weaker financially.

[SoFloFreeper]

I think the government ought to encourage the best possible conditions for competition in the market.

[DoodleDawg]

I think the government ought to encourage the best possible conditions for competition in the market.

And would you agree that this merger would lessen competition in the market?

[Sans-Culotte]

I had Dish for many many years, had to use a 2 meter dish back then, last spring I upgraded to HDTV and right from the start had nothing but problems. After a couple months of run arounds and inept service I called up Direct TV, got more channels at a better price, most importantly the equipment worked, no more lost signals.

I've had DISH a long time, at least over 10 years, currently in HD. Never had a problem. My only complaint is the price of having to buy packages of crap in order to get the 6 or 8 channels we watch.

[JohnnyP]

Will we ever get “a la carte tv”?

[KoRn]

Hughesnet has a very good/fast satellite internet service, and its ‘two-way’. In the past, satellite internet did downstream data with the dish, and any upload traffic was transmitted via dialup modem. Made it impractical. The biggest drawback of their service now is the monthly data caps are too low, and that’s how they tier their pricing. Even their highest plan is only somewhere around 20GB per month, and I can blow through that in two or three days if I’m busy, and we also have kids that use it. After you hit the cap, they throttle you back to dialup type speed, and you might as well shut your computers down if you’re regulated to that.

I suppose the service is great for those who live out in very rural areas and have no other options for internet access, with maybe a couple of people using it, who may only use the internet for web pages/email, with an OCCASIONAL streaming media session, but anyone doing more than that should just stay away from it.

It’s a good start I guess. I think they’ll open it up some when they realize that they’ll get more customers if they implement a reasonable data usage policy. I could have lived with it, had they throttled the speeds back to something more reasonable than dialup speed, like maybe 1mbps. Their speed is around 10mbps before you hit the data cap.

[CodeJockey]

I installed a digital antenna in my attic and ran RG6 to wall plates in most of my homes rooms. Reception is fantastic and HD in 720p and 1080i blows satellite HD away because they used compressed signals.

I did just cancel my Dish subscription I had for over 10 years. I wanted to get new equipment and qualify for the new customer discounts. With Dish you have to wait 90 days to get new service with the promos. With Direct TV it is two years!

The feature I like that Dish receivers have that Direct does not is that they have an over the air coax input on their receivers. You can then navigate to a page where you can scan your over the air locals. Then those channels will show up in your program guide right along with your satellite channels. They will be displayed in a different color. An awesome feature. No switching inputs.

I probably get close to 35 over the air channels not available on DISH. ME TV is one example.

[Resolute Conservative]

I prefer Directv.

I wish they would come up with a plan where I pay x and get only the channels I want and not 500 or so when I only watch 4-5.

[SZonian]

Have to go opposite of you...DISH absolutely sucked for us and DirecTV has been practically flawless...

I guess everyone will have their own issues with each provider...

[SoFloFreeper]

Why do you ask? These seem to be basic concept queries that ate obviously answered, aren’t they?

[Thorliveshere]

Oh no, I had the worst experience with DirecTV. The installation was a nightmare. Didn’t help that were right on the border of satellite signals—almost a “no man’s land,” but their solutions to the problem were just ridiculous, cumbersome and jacked up the bill. So, we said sayanora. Dish was much more accommodating and there was no problem with the satellites or nothing.

However, we are at the tipping point for the bill. If it goes higher, it’s time for Roku or Chromecast, or something...with grocery bills as high as they are, something has to give.

[Thorliveshere]

larger executive bonuses.

You know, I'm one of the first to be against the whole class warfare mentality, but you're right, the more this happens, the more it's hard to defend. I'm sick of companies giving out golden parachutes and such. I don't want government involvement, I'd like to have companies figure it out on their own.

[Defiant]

Holder didn’t let ATT buy T-Mobile. He sure as hell better not let these two merge. It would create evil to the second power.

[itsahoot]

Their speed is around 10mbps before you hit the data cap.

I currently have Charter and my download speeds run 80 to 100 mgb, but I also have 400 channels that I don't watch. They recently went to switched digital service so had to add another adapter to my Tivo.