Consumer electronics superstore Best Buy has until now focused its efforts to sell AT&T Broadband technology solely to customers in its Dallas, Texas locations. Now the company has announced that it has finalized a retail agreement with AT&T Broadband to offer the company’s digital cable and high-speed Internet access services around the country.
It’s the culmination of a plan first put into effect this past fall when the two companies signed a letter of intent to form a new strategic alliance — since then, Best Buy has been test-marketing the alliance through a pilot program exclusive to its Dallas stores.
Later this month, more than 100 Best Buy stores located in AT&T Broadband’s service areas will begin to sell AT&T Digital Cable and AT&T@Home, the company’s high-speed Internet access service. Best Buy customers will be able to learn more about AT&T’s services through interactive in-store displays. Best Buy customers will be able to buy activation kits for US$19.95.
What’s this mean for Mac users? Best Buy may not sell Macs anymore after a well-publicized debacle early on in the iMac’s life, but many Mac users still crowd the aisles of Best Buy looking for other products and services they can use. The company sells Mac-compatible printers, scanners, digital cameras and MP3 players, for example. Best Buy executive vice president Phil Schoonover said it’s all about finding products that customers want to buy.
“When a customer buys a TV, they also like to be able to consider programming options like AT&T’s Digital Cable, and when they’re buying a PC, they like to be able to experiment with Broadband options like AT&T@Home. By expanding our connection and content offerings through this relationship, we’re giving our customers even more of what they’re looking for at our store locations,” said Schoonover.
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