Both Linear and Over the Top Video Entertainment Markets are About to Change

By

Both Dish Network and AT&T appear to be preparing different streamed video entertainment offerings. AT&T appears to be looking at creating an on-demand, non-linear service. Dish Network, on the other hand, seems to be looking at a real time streamed TV service akin to linear services, but accessed using the Internet.

At least so far, the Dish Network offer would be priced much lower than standard linear packages, perhaps as low as $20 to $30 a month. That also suggests the channel lineups will be more restricted than is available with a standard linear video package.

The AT&T venture starts off with a $500 million investment and a partnership with media development veteran Peter Chernin's Chernin Group and seems to be a video-on-demand service.

On the other hand, any AT&T bid to acquire DirecTV could play a role in AT&T’s overall thinking.

Gaining DirecTV would make AT&T the second-biggest video entertainment provider in the U.S. market, second only to Comcast, presumably after adding Time Warner Cable subscribers.

Gaining that market heft as a buyer could make it easier for AT&T to negotiate for content rights underpinning any new streaming service.

Disney content, presumably, would anchor any Dish Network offer. The big issue is whether ESPN content, owned by Disney, would be part of the package. And since Dish Network has gotten such streaming rights, one has to assume DirecTV also could acquire such rights.

To be sure, AT&T also could make a bid to acquire Dish Network, instead of DirecTV. That deal would have the advantage of Dish Network’s mobile spectrum. The disadvantage is that regulators would eye such a spectrum increase for AT&T skeptically.

In that sense, the DirecTV deal carries lower regulatory approval risk.

For its part, Dish Network could bid for T-Mobile US, should the Sprint acquisition bid not be launched, or if the deal does not gain regulatory approval. And Dish Network recently has admitted it cannot outbid Sprint for T-Mobile U.S., or AT&T for DirecTV.

That means it is highly likely there will be significant alteration of U.S. communication markets, which now include video entertainment services as a lead application, one way or the other. The more likely changes will occur in the linear video subscription business, if Comcast gains Time Warner Cable and AT&T wins DirecTV. 




Edited by Maurice Nagle
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [Free eNews Subscription]

Contributing Editor

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Related Articles

What Is Attribute Based Access Control?

By: Contributing Writer    12/5/2023

Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) represents a paradigm shift in managing access rights within complex and dynamic IT environments. Unlike traditi…

Read More

Raising Value: The Strategic Gains of Embracing Bundled Result

By: Contributing Writer    12/4/2023

Where the concept of value is not just a price tag but a carefully crafted now. In a world brimming with options, the art of planned bundling has aris…

Read More

Tech Innovation in iGaming

By: Contributing Writer    11/29/2023

iGaming is one of the fastest growing industries on the internet. For those who may not be aware, iGaming refers to online casinos, online slots, poke…

Read More

8 Underrated Features of Your Mobile Device You Probably Didn't Know About

By: Contributing Writer    11/21/2023

It is easy to get lost in all the new phone releases when multiple happen yearly. Consequently, most new functions go unnoticed because people do not …

Read More

Navigating the Launch: A Step-by-Step Guide to Bringing Your Product to Market

By: Contributing Writer    11/15/2023

Embarking on the journey to bring a new product into the marketplace is an exhilarating adventure that blends the thrill of innovation with the meticu…

Read More