AT&T to Enhance Next-Generation Video-Delivery Platform with Acquisition of Quickplay from Madison Dearborn Partners
AT&T* plans to acquire Quickplay Media, Inc., a leader in powering over-the-top (OTT) video and TV Everywhere services, from Madison Dearborn Partners. The acquisition builds on the companies’ existing relationship. Quickplay’s platform currently supports AT&T’s U-verse TV Everywhere offering and will support the streaming offers — DIRECTV Now, DIRECTV Mobile and DIRECTV Preview — that AT&T plans to introduce later this year. These new plans will let viewers stream DIRECTV content over the Internet to virtually any device.
“Our strategy is to deliver video content however, whenever and wherever,” said John Stankey, CEO, AT&T Entertainment Group. “Quickplay's multitenant IP distribution infrastructure, combined with AT&T's leading scale in IP connected end points, will allow us to host and distribute all forms of video traffic. We intend to scale and operate an industry-leading video distribution platform, and viewers will get the high-quality online video viewing experience they desire.
“We’ve spent more than a decade developing an advanced technology and service platform that can deliver premium video content to any device and over any network. Our solution is highly automated and scalable. With AT&T, we’ll have the resources we need to further scale, grow the business, and continuously enhance that platform,” said Wayne Purboo, founder and CEO, Quickplay. “Our team is proud of what we’ve built so far and excited to join the AT&T family. This combination will help us power the next generation of video services.”
AT&T plans to retain Quickplay’s more than 350 employees and contractors. “Quickplay’s talented team of people is critical to our success,” Stankey said. “Their knowledge and skills are a key part of executing our video strategy.”
AT&T plans for Quickplay to maintain its high level of service and continue to support and expand its global customer base, grow its managed platform services and continue to enable other companies — from video providers to content distributors — to deliver premium video to any device and over any network.
The transaction is subject to pre-merger review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act in the U.S. and the Competition Act in Canada and to other customary filings and approvals. AT&T and Quickplay expect to close the deal in mid-2016. The companies did not disclose financial terms.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, mobile, high-speed Internet and voice services. We’re the world’s largest provider of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. We offer the best global coverage of any U.S. wireless provider*. And we help businesses worldwide serve their customers better with our mobility and highly secure cloud solutions.
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*Global coverage claim based on offering discounted voice and data roaming; LTE roaming; voice roaming; and world-capable smartphone and tablets in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier. International service required. Coverage not available in all areas. Coverage may vary per country and be limited/restricted in some countries.
About Madison Dearborn Partners
Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP), based in Chicago, is a leading private equity investment firm in the United States. Since MDP’s formation in 1992, the firm has raised seven funds with aggregate capital of over $21 billion and has completed approximately 130 investments. MDP invests in businesses across a broad spectrum of industries, including telecom, media and technology services; financial and transaction services; business and government services; health care; basic industries; and consumer. Noteworthy TMT investments include Asurion, Cbeyond, Intelsat, Liquid Web, NextG Networks, Q9 Networks and Univision. For more information, please visit www.mdcp.com.
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