AT&T Counting On Wireless To Be The Difference With Cable

AT&T’s newest national advertising is all about the multi-screen experience, suggesting that all you need to do is subscribe to its services in order to seamlessly experience programming between TV, PC and phone/mobile device. (Nothing about how you might pay for the same content multiple times or the DRM issues that make it difficult to use content across platforms but that’s another story.) AT&T sees wireless as the key way of differentiating its video offering as it rolls out U-verse, especially since major cable companies are now competing on the wired side. Scott Helbing, AT&T EVP-entertainment, told USA Today: “We believe (wireless) is a differentiation we should have for a period of time.” He perceives an edge as major cablers work with Sprint Nextel to develop wireless products but it should be noted they aren’t all waiting.
Once the merger of AT&T and Bell South — it’s awaiting FCC approval — brings Cingular completely under AT&T’s control and brand, Helbing also will handle programming negotiations for wireless. He foresees a changed negotiating environment in five years, “a totally different conversation” as programming for the various screens merges. Helbing says that integration is coming within two years, with AT&T planning a suite of cross-platform services.
— More advertising on cell phones is likely , possibly even integrated into ringtones.
— According to USAT, AT&T is holding back its U-verse rollout until new HD set-tops from Motorola are ready; that should start in November.

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