Divicom based wireless cable system sold.........................
multichannel.com
October 09, 1998
Prime Affiliate Buys PacBell Video
Austin, Texas -- In what some saw as a vote of confidence for digital-wireless-cable technology, PrimeOne acquired a majority ownership of Pacific Bell Video Services, the Los Angeles-based wireless cable arm of SBC Communications Inc.
SBC will maintain a minority interest in the business, which will be renamed PrimeOne Tele-TV. As part of the assets in the transaction, Austin, Texas-based PrimeOne acquired the rights to market the Tele-TV brand.
PrimeOne is affiliated with Prime Cable, an MSO with about 530,000 subscribers and a history of dealings with SBC.
PBVS had used the Tele-TV brand on-air on its digital-wireless-video service in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The name was created several years ago as a joint venture by several telephone companies -- including Pacific Bell, Nynex Corp. and Bell Atlantic Corp. -- which were looking to expand into video services.
Last year, PacBell became the only telco to actually launch a Tele-TV-branded service, using digital MMDS boxes made by Thomson Consumer Electronics.
PrimeOne also purchased a majority stake in PacBell's analog-wireless-video operation in Riverside, Calif., pending government approval. The digital and analog systems combined serve about 60,000 subscribers. Just under one-half of those are digital customers, according to Julie Dodd-Thomas, who had been executive director at PBVS until last week and who is now a SBC employee.
- 10/9/98
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