While the telecommunications industry continues to wait for detailed mobile video plans from AT&T (NYSE: T) in the wake of its consummated merger with DirecTV, company Senior VP and CFO John Stephens described in broad terms a transactional service that would let AT&T customers easily purchase, view and authenticate programming on any device.
"I think what you are going to see is an integrated approach to customer service which allows automatic authentication, which allows for buying content that then can be viewed on multiple devices within the account in a relationship with AT&T," Stephens said at the BofA Merrill Lynch investor conference. The comments were recorded in a Seeking Alpha transcript.
"In a very simple way, we're doing that today with our U-verse on-the-go products and expanding those," Stephens added. "We're doing that with our wireless and DTV combinations that we're cross-selling today. But you will see that evolve into new products and services as we get the technology to roll out."
FierceCable reached out to AT&T's corporate communications reps to get clarity on Stephens' comments. The response is still forthcoming.
"What you'll see us develop is entertainment and information services that we can deliver on an integrated basis, through your phone, through your television," Stephens said during the 45-minute discussion. "We'll continue to see over-the-top develop; we think there's really a big opportunity there for us … And now we have the video content relationships to put that together. We're open for business to talk to the content guys and we're certainly reaching out to them."
Stephens also said AT&T's attempt to bundle its wireless services with DirecTV's pay-TV products have "exceeded expectations." AT&T, he added, hopes to entice some of the 15 million DirecTV customers who don't use AT&T wireless to switch their mobile operator.
For more:
- read this Seeking Alpha transcript
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