A lot of details you have presented is in the last two posts. It is generally from an ownership consideration. The real matter is that there are cable technology involved, and cable deregulation(piggyback) effecting business as usual. If you consider these developments then apply to the ATT financial planning, you will see the big picture.
First, economy is better for most cable subscriber, therefore the subscription fee is going up to $99/month(ATT gets $51+change now). It is not there yet until technology can provider the extras for more fee. Microsoft has a new operating system for settop box which ATT is resisting. To sell Broadband is to sell it too soon and for too little.
Second, ATT is secretly piggyback on Cablevision and will try to sell back the acquired former Cablevision customers for a one time promotional fee($300-400). ATT did this because they owned 18% of Cablevision. Selling broadband will not effect this revenue. Telephone industry each year send $300 million to acquire each other's customers. They can also piggyback on any other cable operations they own partially, Comcast may be one of them already.
Having said that, ATT still needs a good financial plan, otherwise they can not finance the technology advancement. The circuit switchers will all go obsolete, making new investment in VoIP. How all these play out with digital TV on wireless at ATT wireless is anyone's guess. My guess is sell cable and go wireless interactive digital TV and collect subscriptions. VoIP on internet and interactive digital TV, is local telephone.
The low down is technology driven and financial planning oriented. So, convergence technology wins after all. |
