DirecTV Signs Deal To Boost Broadband Prospects

DirecTV, the U.S. pay-TV operator, has signed a deal with the Current Group, which will boost its position in the broadband space, the company announced August 15. The wholesale distribution deal will enable DirecTV to offer its customers Current’s BPL (Broadband Over Powerline) high-speed Internet service and VoIP services at the end of 2007/beginning of 2008.

DirecTV customers will be able to access the Internet by plugging a BPL modem into virtually any outlet in their home. This symmetrical service can send data faster than the typical cable modem service in use today, the companies claim. The increased upload speed is particularly important as users rely on greater speeds to play interactive games or send significant volumes of digital content through the Internet.

In other DirecTV news, the company has also been boosted by a strong performance in a recent survey looking into customer satisfaction in the pay-TV space. In the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Residential Cable/Satellite Satisfaction Study released August 15, DirecTV ranks highest in customer satisfaction in three out of four regions surveyed.