* Also: AT&T to fill in broadband gaps with WiMAX, satellite; Verizon looking to sell off more lines
BellSouth said it will partner with Samsung Telecommunications America to explore opportunities to market and co-brand broadband-enabled devices in consumer and business markets. The agreement is intended to address demand for product and services that converge traditional telephony, computing and entertainment. The two companies will work throughout the year to identify opportunities to combine BellSouth’s broadband services and Samsung’s devices, and extend broadband usage to BellSouth customers.
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AT&T plans to reach more users with broadband services regardless of whether they’re in a metro or rural area. As colleague Denise Pappalardo reports, AT&T will introduce a new satellite service and expand its fixed-wireless trials. AT&T is teaming with WildBlue to offer satellite-based broadband Internet access service in select rural markets where DSL is not available. The service, which will be called AT&T High Speed Internet Access, powered by WildBlue, is expected to be available later this month.
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Verizon is looking to sell off phone lines in New England and the Midwest in an apparent attempt to generate capital to help fund other initiatives, like fiber deployment and acquiring all of Verizon Wireless. Published reports state that Verizon could fetch as much as $8 billion by selling 5 million lines in those regions, but Verizon would not confirm those figures. Verizon is evaluating the sale of those lines in those areas, “however, no decisions have been made,” a company spokesman said. “Verizon continually evaluates the assets and properties in our portfolio for strategic fit and financial performance,” the carrier stated in an e-mail. “Our company is frequently approached regarding transactions like this.”
