Echostar Communications Corp. and DirecTV Inc. will market satellite broadband Internet service offered by Wildblue Communications Inc., the companies announced June 9. As part of the agreements, Wildblue will be the only satellite-based Internet solution that the two U.S.-based satellite-TV providers can offer their customers for the next five years.

The offerings, focused on small towns and rural markets, will be provided separately under the DirecTV and Echostar brand names and sub-branded as “powered by Wildblue.” DirecTV and Echostar will roll out the service throughout the next few months. Echostar will roll out its service by fall and will handle all customer acquisition, installation, customer care and billing operations. Wildblue will oversee the satellite and backbone connectivity. DirecTV did not unveil any of its plans, and neither satellite operator has set a pricing for their offerings.

In May, Wildblue signed a non-exclusive agreement with AT&T to offer the satellite Internet service. Wildblue provides equipment management, installation and distribution services for “AT&T High Speed Internet Access, powered by Wildblue.”