DIRECTV Partners With CURRENT Group to Enable Broadband and VoIP Services to Its Customers

Service Will Premiere in Dallas, Texas

    EL SEGUNDO, Calif., and GERMANTOWN, Md., Aug. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
 -- DIRECTV, Inc. ( DTV) and CURRENT Group announced today a wholesale
 distribution agreement that will enable DIRECTV to offer its customers
 CURRENT's innovative BPL (Broadband Over Powerline) high-speed Internet
 service and VoIP services at the end of 2007/beginning of 2008. DIRECTV
 customers will be able to access the Internet by plugging a BPL modem into
 virtually any outlet in their home. This easy-to-use symmetrical service
 can send data faster than the typical cable modem service in use today. The
 increased upload speed is particularly important as users rely on greater
 speeds to play interactive games or send significant volumes of digital
 content through the Internet.
     Under the terms of the agreement, DIRECTV will have access to CURRENT's
 BPL network, initially in the Dallas/Fort Worth BPL network that will cover
 approximately 1.8 million homes and businesses over the next several years.
 DIRECTV will be able to market a bundle that includes DIRECTV high-speed
 Internet and VoIP services to its residential customers. In addition, the
 agreement provides DIRECTV the ability to add other geographic markets as
 CURRENT builds out its network. CURRENT's BPL network enables both
 Broadband services and Smart Grid solutions designed to improve efficiency
 and reliability while reducing the environmental impact of electric
 service.
     "We are pleased to partner with DIRECTV to offer them the ability to
 bundle their world-renowned satellite video services together with BPL
 high- speed Internet and VoIP services," said Tom Casey, CURRENT's chief
 executive officer. "Consumers in Dallas will have a compelling new choice
 for their broadband service and, at the same time, feel good about the fact
 that the same Internet network is helping to improve the efficiency and
 reliability of the electric grid while reducing its environmental impact."
     "Our agreement with CURRENT gives our customers another high-quality,
 easy-to-use option to pair broadband services with DIRECTV's video
 offerings," said Evan Grayer, vice president of Broadband for DIRECTV. "By
 choosing this bundled option, DIRECTV customers will now be able to enjoy
 fast, reliable and secure high-speed Internet service anywhere they have a
 power outlet in their homes."
     About CURRENT
     CURRENT builds an Internet overlay on to existing electric wires
 allowing electric utilities worldwide to deploy and manage a Smart Grid
 benefiting utilities, consumers and the environment. CURRENT provides
 sensing technology, two-way high-speed communications, 24/7 monitoring and
 analytic software and related services to provide location-specific,
 real-time actionable data in an integrated Smart Grid solution. CURRENT's
 solutions also allow consumers and business users to have high-speed
 Internet access and voice services from virtually any electric outlet.
     CURRENT's investors include Duke Energy Corporation, EarthLink, Inc.,
 EnerTech Capital, Google Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., General Electric
 Company, Hearst Corporation, Liberty Associated Partners (an investment
 partnership between Liberty Media Corporation and the Berkman family) and
 TXU Corp, among others. Further information about CURRENT Group, LLC, a
 privately-held company based in Germantown, MD, is available at
 www.currentgroup.com.
     About DIRECTV
     DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading satellite television service
 provider, presents the finest television experience available to more than
 16.3 million customers in the United States, through exclusive content,
 industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed cable for seven
 years running) and superior technologies. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers
 enjoy access to over 250 channels of 100% digital picture and sound,
 exclusive programming and the most comprehensive collection of sports
 programming available anywhere, including NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) and MLB
 EXTRA INNINGS(R). DIRECTV ( DTV) also leads the digital television
 technology revolution with exclusives such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET
 SuperFan(TM), US OPEN Interactive and YES Network Interactive and will soon
 have the capacity to offer over 150 channels in HD. For the most up-to-date
 information on DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.
 
 

SOURCE DIRECTV, Inc.; CURRENT Group