BellSouth Scores With NFL Football

Atlanta-based BellSouth Corpora-tion [BLS] reported last week its recent move to introduce a new bundled service package that includes the DirecTV satellite television service is gaining early traction. With the third-quarter launch of a DirecTV promotional offer that includes “NFL Sunday Ticket,” BellSouth rolled out a competitively priced triple-play package of voice, data and entertainment services that helped to amass more than 90,000 customers for the video service through Sept. 30.

To fuel the growth, BellSouth arranged to let its customers save $10 a month on their bundled services if they added DirecTV service to their “BellSouth Answers” package.

BellSouth also last week announced that Chattanooga, Tenn., is among 24 new markets where its customers can receive local channels from DirecTV. Due to the location of the DirecTV satellite, customers in these markets will require a second 18-in. dish to receive their local channels; the additional dish and installation will be provided at no charge.

(Zealous Wiley, BellSouth, 404/829-8721)