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DirecTV kiosks to close Dec. 31 as part of AT&T merger

About 24 DirecTV kiosks will close at the end of the year.

About 24 DirecTV kiosks will close at the end of the year.

As part of the consolidation between AT&T Mobility and DirecTV begun earlier this year, about two dozen of the latter’s kiosks in Puerto Rico will shut down on Dec. 31, this media outlet confirmed Monday.

“Our DirecTV kiosks in Puerto Rico do the same work and frequently are very close to our existing retail stores,” said AT&T Spokeswoman Rosie Montalvo. “Consequently, we’ve decided to close the kiosks and consolidate the work into our existing stores.”

Some 60 DirecTV jobs will be affected, although Montalvo said about 45 of those employees have already accepted other jobs with AT&T, including positions at existing retail locations, she said.

Those who don’t find another job with AT&T are eligible for severance benefits, Montalvo added.

AT&T Mobility and DirecTV announced their $50 billion merger in 2015, representing one of the biggest corporate marriages in the telecom industry in recent years.

Less than two weeks ago, AT&T unveiled a full portfolio of products and services — including bundles for voice, internet and television — to cater to a spectrum of consumer needs.

On Monday, this media outlet confirmed that early next year, AT&T plans to unveil internet-based television services to do away with satellite service offered through DirecTV in Puerto Rico.

As part of the mega-merger, DirecTV Puerto Rico’s operations will be consolidated with AT&T’s new entertainment division on the U.S. mainland, which will enable the wireless carrier to improve upon the channel lineup currently available to Puerto Rico subscribers.

An AT&T representative who spoke off the record said as part of the new offer — which will somewhat resemble the U-verse service that AT&T offers stateside — customers will be able to customize their channel lineup and pay only for what they want to watch.

New pricing tiers should also be unveiled in early 2017, the representative confirmed.

The closing of the kiosks will not represent significant job losses in Puerto Rico, where AT&T has already hired more than 110 employees through October, Montalvo confirmed.

“We remain committed to Puerto Rico and continue to hire here,” she said.

Author Details
Author Details
Business reporter with 30 years of experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers, as well as trade publications in Puerto Rico. My list of former employers includes Caribbean Business, The San Juan Star, and the Puerto Rico Daily Sun, among others. My areas of expertise include telecommunications, technology, retail, agriculture, tourism, banking and most other segments of Puerto Rico’s economy.
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