Verizon scraps DirecTV LTE trial, but says move not related to cable deal

While Verizon (NYSE: VZ) has ended a wireless broadband trial it was conducting with DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV), the company insists it is not a result of its $3.6 billion deal to buy wireless spectrum from Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA), Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) and Bright House Networks.

Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam caused a bit of a hubbub earlier this week when he told a Communications Daily reporter that the telco was scrapping a test that combined LTE wireless data service with satellite TV programming delivered by DirecTV. "One of our hallmarks is focus and we're focused on getting Comcast up and running and I can't do both, so we made our choice," McAdam told Communications Daily.

But Verizon spokesman Jeffrey Nelson told FierceWireless that the conclusion of the trial wasn't related to the deal to buy wireless spectrum from the cable MSOs. "The trials are done because the trials were scheduled to be done. This is not linked in any way at all," he said.

For more:
- FierceWireless has this story

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