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    Twitter buys ZipDial in bid for users in emerging markets

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments431 Views
    NEW YORK (AP) --

    Twitter said Tuesday that it plans to buy Indian mobile marketing company ZipDial as it tries to reach new users in developing regions.

    The San Francisco company did not disclose financial details or when it expects the deal to close.

    ZipDial connects brands with consumers in emerging markets where mobile data is expensive and Wi-Fi connections are limited. With ZipDial, consumers bypass data charges. They call a unique phone number, hang up and ZipDial sends them free texts or voicemails with sports scores, coupons or other content and information.

    Calling and hanging up is also a way to follow users of Twitter. A phone number can be assigned to politicians or celebrities, for example, and users automatically receive tweets through texts instead of going to Twitter's website or app. Phone numbers can be printed on billboards, newspaper ads or TV commercials. Founded in 2010, ZipDial has created campaigns for beverage maker PepsiCo and toy maker Mattel Inc., according to its website.

    At the end of June, Twitter had 271 million average monthly users. The company said the acquisition will give people access to its service in Brazil, India, Indonesia and other countries where people are going online for the first time.

    Shares of Twitter Inc. rose 72 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $38.03 in afternoon trading Tuesday.

    Tags:Twitter



    DirecTV calls off acquisition of rival Dish, possibly ending a yearslong pursuit

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

    DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.

    The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.

    The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.

    DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.

    "While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.

    The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.

    The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.

    DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More

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