Televisa's Sky unit plans revamp, to offer new mobile service with AT&T network
FILE PHOTO: The AT&T logo is seen in a store window in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 19, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
MEXICO CITY: Mexican broadcaster Grupo Televisa's satellite television unit SKY will offer a new mobile service with AT&T's network in the second half of the year, a Televisa executive said Wednesday.
Detailing a business plan for SKY recently approved by Televisa's board of directors, the unit's chief executive Luis Malvido said the initial market for the mobile service will be the SKY postpaid customer base.
"We plan to offer competitive individual and family plans with attractive cross promotions leverageing our video services," Malvido said in a call following the company's second quarter results.
The new feature is expected to boost SKY's revenue by 3 per cent to 5 per cent in the coming years, Malvido said.
Grupo Televisa reported on Tuesday a 44 per cent jump in net profit in the second quarter to 3.14 billion pesos ($156 million) from the year-ago period boosted by profit from its joint venture with US network Univision and lower expenses.
SKY reported 255,000 disconnexions in the quarter and a 7.7 per cent fall in revenue.
Shares of Televisa rallied 3.15 per cent during the call before trimming their gains.
Malvido added the recent restructuring of Mexican telecommunications company Altan Redes, with which it has an alliance for fixed wireless, would help reverse the recent negative trend in its fixed wireless business.
SKY was also exploring partnerships to offer competitive high-speed broadband services to its pay TV customer base, Malvido added.
All 2022 World Cup matches, of which SKY will have complete coverage, will be available for free to the direct-to-home (DTH) and Blue-to-Go platform customer bases.
The Blue-to-Go mobile app will be improved to provide steaming services, Malvido said. Other planned upgrades include a comprehensive repair service for prepaid customers and an overhaul of commercial strategies in Central America and sales processes.
Growing competition in the cable sector has been pressuring prices lower, but inflation globally and in Mexico could counter that, executives said.
"We may have to adjust," said Jose Antonneio Gonzalez Anaya, chief executive of Televisa's Izzi.
