DirecTV Eyes Wireless Link Up

DirecTV, which has been looking at wireless broadband, is also now in talks with mobile operators with a view to adding mobile service in a bundled offering, which is all the rage with its cable rivals these days. Since Verizon Wireless' and Cingular's parents are becoming DirecTV competitors, that would leave T-Mobile, or good old Sprint, the carrier's carrier. Sprint, which has made no secret of its plans to begin offering wireless broadband via one of the multitude of technologies it's trying out, could make for an interesting partner. While there's no doubt that DirecTV would love to upgrade its Internet capabilities beyond its satellite service, like many other companies being billed as potential next-generation network providers, it's unclear why it wouldn't rather piggyback on somebody like Sprint's broadband network as a virtual operator than build its own physical network.