Microsoft to buy ATT.... (1 Viewer)

Check out the story here. Very interesting.
-Andre F
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-= Take your stinking paws off me you damn dirty ape! =-

Someone clear something up for me: Sony has the AOL deal, Microsoft is trying to set up their own gaming network, Nintendo is doing the same.
Do these companies expect me to sign up for their online service in order to play their games online? Does Sony really think I'd sign up for AOL just to play their games? (Hell, no!)
Or, do these companies plan on offering me the opportunity to use my existing ISP and then charging me a fee on top of that to access their online gaming area?
I could end up paying through the nose: ISP + Gaming Network (for each of the 3 consoles) + Gaming fees for individual games (e.g. Phantasy Star Online) + Price of the software = one consumer happy to keep his multiplayer gaming on the PC.
How much would you guys be willing to pay to play Xbox, PS2, GCN games online?
[Edited last by Camp on August 14, 2001 at 09:40 AM]
[Edited last by Camp on August 14, 2001 at 09:40 AM]
[Edited last by Camp on August 14, 2001 at 09:41 AM]

You won't see me signing up to play online for any system (I have a PS2 and I plan on getting a Gamecube). I don't think it's financially responsible to pay for all these when you'd never get a chance to hardly play them all.

Personally, I'll probably suscribe and drop memberships often, as games come and go. Example: subscribe to one system for a while to play Tony Hawk, then cancel, and sign up for another to play Final Fantasy Online, etc... It'll be a hassle, but there won't be any reason for me to subscribe to 2 or 3 systems to play one game at a time.
I wish there'd be something to replace PSO soon, though.
-Dave
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DVD List

Sony has already announced that you can use an existing AOL account, establish an account, establish an AOL IM account for free, or use your existing ISP. The online system will utilize AOL abilities, like e-mail and IM and chat, but will not require you to pay. Nintendo and MS are supposed to use the same strategy, and the only reason that they are making deals are so they can use online networks from other companies (AOL, ATT) and use special programs (AOL IM). The online service requiring payments are for online games, and that is determined by the company who makes the game.
I heard MS is going to make it so that all of the games you subscribe to will be added to a bill that will be sent to you on a monthly basis, so you don't have to pay several bills, but rather just one bill for all the games you use.

Funny, I work for AT&T and this is the first I heard of this.
READ the article again. It is just speculation. Whoever wrote the article is also quite ignorant about how our business works as well. We don't just exist to buy, and then sell companies.
What is true. MS has invested in AT&T Broadband for the exclusive rights to provide set top boxes for cable services and WebTV applications. Comcast and MS are in bed together for the same reason, and MS supported the takeover bid Comcast made last month.
Yes, it's true, AT&T is looking for a buyer for Broadband, but We're lookingh in all kinds of spots...AOL/Time Warner, Disney, Viacom, Seagrams Universal etc. The Comcast offer just wasn't good enough.

I can't see MS buying AT&T's cable business. It would have a really negative influence on their stock price with MS being a growth stock and the cable business not.
They are only interested in keeping AOL/TW from acquiring these assets. Finally MS have a competitor that they can't really intimidate like everyone they are used to dealing with. I don't like AOL or use it, but if they can do anything to at least keep MS honest, it is a good thing. I can see MS giving a load of cash to help Comcast do a deal with AT&T.
[Edited last by CarlS on August 16, 2001 at 10:30 AM]