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Fri, 20 Sep 2019 13:35:01 +0000	Wind Power to Surpass Coal in Texas: 3 Utilities to Gain Wind turbines in Texas are set to generate 87 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2020, surpassing the roughly 84 terawatt-hours of electricity estimated from coal plants.
Thu, 19 Sep 2019 15:37:33 +0000	Timing Is Everything for AT&T to Drop DirecTV (Bloomberg Opinion) -- AT&T Inc. CEO Randall Stephenson seems to be coming around to the right idea that the wireless carrier would be better off without its shrinking DirecTV business. Oddly enough, his decision could hinge on a legal trial in December that has little to do with his company but everything to do with how far antitrust regulators can be pushed in the Trump administration.It was the $67 billion takeover of DirecTV four years ago that first turned AT&T into a diversified communications conglomerate. Stephenson overpaid and underestimated how quickly the satellite-TV service would lose subscribers to cheaper online alternatives. With AT&T now squarely focused on expanding its 5G wireless network and integrating HBO and the other WarnerMedia assets it acquired last year, the company is finally considering parting ways with DirecTV, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing unidentified sources. The pivot comes as activist investor Elliott Management Corp. puts pressure on Stephenson and AT&T’s board to streamline its operations. I explained in January how a sale of DirecTV might help AT&T pay down its mountain of debt more quickly and remove a cloud over its stock price. AT&T also has far too many pay-TV products, and it’s already started to play down the DirecTV brand by changing the name of DirecTV Now, a skinny live-TV streaming platform, to AT&T TV Now:One option is spinning off the unit into a separate publicly traded entity, though it’s hard to see the appeal for investors of a stand-alone DirecTV. It wouldn’t have the same advantages AT&T gets through its scale and simultaneous control of popular programming. For example, HBO went dark on Dish Network Corp.’s satellite-TV services last year because of a carriage dispute between the companies, leaving many HBO fans the choice to either switch to DirecTV or subscribe to the HBO Now app for $15 a month — both properties of AT&T. DirecTV has also lost customers rapidly while turning to desperate price increases to shore up profit margins.AT&T’s other option for unloading DirecTV is to combine the business with Dish, which is beset by the same industry challenges. Charlie Ergen, the billionaire who controls Dish, said in an interview in July that he sees “industrial logic” for putting the two together. They could substantially cut costs, and the added cash flow would aid Ergen in his efforts to build a nationwide wireless network.Regulatory friction is seen as the biggest obstacle to a DirecTV-Dish merger, with Reuters reporting Wednesday that the companies aren’t discussing a deal for that reason. But the way I see it, Stephenson and Ergen may just be awaiting the outcome of T-Mobile US Inc.’s attempt to buy Sprint Corp., as I wrote in June. Should that deal proceed, it would set a precedent for allowing the merger of two direct competitors in a highly concentrated market. So far, T-Mobile and Sprint — the No. 3 and No. 4 U.S. wireless carriers, respectively, behind AT&T and Verizon Communications — have received clearance from both the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust division and the Federal Communications Commission. However, 18 state attorneys general — and counting — have joined a lawsuit to block the transaction on the grounds that it will lead to higher prices for consumers, discourage industry innovation and hurt workers. The trial is set to begin Dec. 9.(1) A triumph by the companies may embolden Stephenson and Ergen. They could even argue that the pay-TV market isn’t as concentrated, with numerous new streaming-TV apps posing competition to the traditional distributors. Walt Disney Co. has constructed a $13-a-month bundle for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ that almost rivals denser cable-TV packages in content, and certainly does in price. The wild card, of course, is President Donald Trump. It’s been reported that he tried meddling in AT&T’s takeover of Time Warner, a unit now called WarnerMedia, because of personal grievances with the news network CNN, one of the assets AT&T inherited in the deal. As for DirecTV and Dish, “the biggest ‘regulatory’ obstacle may be the president and his undying desire to punish CNN,” analysts for New Street Research wrote in a report Thursday. Stephenson said in December 2016, when AT&T was integrating the DirecTV purchase, “We did DirecTV not because we love satellite technology, but because it gave us access to some premium content.” It’s a refrain both he and his deputy and heir apparent, John Stankey, have repeatedly recited. But the subsequent $102 billion acquisition of WarnerMedia gave AT&T all the premium content it needs. DirecTV is just a distraction now. (1) Ergen also plays a key role in the T-Mobile-Sprint merger trial. The carriers were required by the Justice Department to divest certain assets to Dish so that it can enter the wireless market and foster competition.To contact the author of this story: Tara Lachapelle at tlachapelle@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Daniel Niemi at dniemi1@bloomberg.netThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Tara Lachapelle is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the business of entertainment and telecommunications, as well as broader deals. She previously wrote an M&A column for Bloomberg News.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
Thu, 19 Sep 2019 14:07:00 +0000	The 1Million Project Foundation Partners with Teach For America on National Homework Gap Initiative OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As schools across the nation kick off a new school year, the 1Million Project Foundation is collaborating with Teach For America to help reach more high school students who need access to reliable internet at home. Beginning in July, the two organizations set off with a goal of reaching up to 10,000 students, a portion of the 115,000 high school students the foundation plans to enroll during the 2019-2020 school year. In the United States there are more than 5 million families that do not have reliable internet connectivity at home.
Thu, 19 Sep 2019 12:32:12 +0000	Sprint Inks Deal With Duke Energy to Reduce Carbon Footprint In order to be a more sustainable company, Sprint (S) signs agreement with Duke Energy Renewables for a new 182 megawatts wind power project in Texas.
Thu, 19 Sep 2019 12:29:12 +0000	Duke Energy-Sprint Ink Deal to Build 182 MW Wind Project The Maryneal project expands Duke Energy's (DUK) U.S. wind capacity to more than 3,000 MW.
Wed, 18 Sep 2019 19:46:25 +0000	5 Stocks You Shouldnrsquo;t Hold Through the Next Recession It's easy to predict that a recession will come eventually. They always do. The trick is in the when - and even the most experienced experts take a lot of swings without making contact.But more strategists and economists are increasing their odds of a forthcoming recession. An August survey by the National Association for Business Economics showed that three of four economists expect a recession by 2021. It could come sooner than that. Also in August, Bank of America analysts said there's a greater-than-30% chance of a recession within 12 months. In a June interview, economist Gary Shilling said, "I think we're probably already in a recession."There are plenty of potential catalysts. Numerous international central banks are easing their policies to battle slowing economic growth. America's Federal Reserve is no exception - it just announced the second cut in its benchmark interest rate this year. The U.S.-China trade war is exacerbating things, with a salvo of tariffs weighing on consumers here and abroad. This has been reflected in the Treasury yield curve, which has inverted several times in 2019 - a recessionary warning sign.Don't look to these five stocks for recession protection. Many businesses surely will feel the pinch of an economic pullback. But these five better-known names - while fine companies in some respects - have issues such as high debt levels and struggling growth despite the economic expansion that might make a downturn more painful for them than others. SEE ALSO: The Pros Say No: 7 Large-Cap Stocks to Sell or Avoid
Wed, 18 Sep 2019 18:49:49 +0000	With big buyer for power already lined up, Duke Energy plans another wind farm The type of agreement involved in this project has become more common in the renewable energy industry as corporate customers have become bigger buyers in the market.
Wed, 18 Sep 2019 15:00:00 +0000	Sprint and Duke Energy Renewables sign agreement on new 182-MW wind power project in Texas OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint (NYSE:S) and Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy (DUK), today announced a 12-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for 173.3 megawatts (MW) of new wind energy.
Mon, 16 Sep 2019 12:18:12 +0000	Will 5G Deployment Create Room for Investment in Tower REITs? As the wireless industry rolls out the 5G technology, the latest network deployment is triggering demand for tower leasing which looks encouraging for the days ahead.
Sat, 14 Sep 2019 12:02:10 +0000	Apple and Disney split, while AT&T gets it from all sides The media business has always been about frenemies and evolving alliances which makes for tricky navigation even in quiescent times.
Thu, 12 Sep 2019 17:09:00 +0000	Sprint Begins Preorder Friday, Sept. 13 for iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max and All New Dual Camera iPhone 11 OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Sept. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint today announced it will offer the latest products from Apple, including iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, a new pro line for iPhone, as well as the new dual camera iPhone 11. Sprint will also offer Apple Watch Series 5 with Always-On Retina display and the new seventh-generation iPad.
Thu, 12 Sep 2019 15:40:00 +0000	Sprint Accepting 2020 Corporate Accelerator Program Applications Focused on 5G Company searching for startups focused on innovative applications, products, services and technology using the power of Sprint True Mobile 5G OVERLAND PARK, Kan. , Sept. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint ...
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 21:31:00 +0000	Sprint to Carry iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 11 - Preorder Begins Sept. 13 OVERLAND PARK, Kan. , Sept. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint will offer the latest products from Apple, including iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, a new pro line for iPhone that delivers advanced performance, ...
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 19:21:07 +0000	T-Mobile employees ask Deutsche Telekom CEO to preserve pay and jobs in Sprint merger A group of T-Mobile employees sent a letter to Deutsche Telekom CEO Timotheus Höttges during his recent visit to the company's Bellevue headquarters.
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 11:48:00 +0000	Sprint Brings Smart City Tech to Life with Curiosity™ IoT and True Mobile 5G 'Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners' Grand Opening: Real-world smart city infrastructure and 5G connectivity enable companies to better test cloud AI, robots, autonomous vehicle tech and more OVERLAND ...
Mon, 09 Sep 2019 20:49:04 +0000	Lessons From the Last Crash Many value investors had a difficult time during the Great Recession. Tried-and-true methods sometimes produced poor results. What made the crash so different and what can we learn from it? Continue reading...
Mon, 09 Sep 2019 16:43:55 +0000	Paul Singer's Elliott Management Takes Aim at AT&T Activist firm sees stock valued at $60 per share Continue reading...
Mon, 09 Sep 2019 13:00:00 +0000	Top-Rated Sprint Drive Revs Up! More Features and Improved User Experience Now Available Sprint Drive now provides impact detection, estimates for repairs, maintenance reminders and full Spanish language support Sprint Drive also offers real-time vehicle tracking and diagnostics, 24/7 roadside ...
Sun, 08 Sep 2019 21:23:07 +0000	Tik-Tok Tik-Tok: SoftBank Vision Fund Hail Mary investments on massively overvalued startups make SoftBank Vision Fund vulnerable to souring investor sentiment Continue reading...
Fri, 06 Sep 2019 18:47:14 +0000	Delta, Georgia Tech, Curiosity Lab partner to test driverless cars Delta Air Lines says robotic vehicles could help customers make tight connections across airports, deliver delayed baggage to travelers or transport aircraft parts to airports.