AT&T 'ready to pay nearly $50bn for DirecTV'

AT&T is prepared to acquire satellite TV provider DirecTV in a dealthat values it at nearly $50 billion, the Wall Street Journal said Tuesday.Talks are at an advanced stage and a deal could be announced in two weeks or evenearlier, the Journal said, quoting people close to the deal.The US business daily had reported early this month a deal was afoot but put theprice tag then at around $40 billion.But one source noted the two companies have tried in the past to reach a deal butstumbled over the value of DirectTV.DirecTV shares closed Monday at $87.16 on Wall Street. An offer at $95 dollars pershare would value the company at nearly $48 billion, the paper said.The companies are discussing a share price in the low to mid-90s, the Journalquoted one source as saying.The deal would give AT&T a national dimension in the pay TV industry.The broader telecom and pay TV industries have been shaken up by Comcast'sagreement to acquire Time Warner Cable for $45 billion. These are the two largestUS cable operators.