Vrio Corp.

Vrio Corp. (formerly DirecTV Latin America LLC; stylized as Vгio) is an American company that manages the commercial operations of the Latin American branch of DirecTV (mostly known as DirecTV Latin America). It is owned by Grupo Werthein. It produces TV content, and owns several TV channels.[3]

Vrio Corp.
FormerlyGalaxy Latin America Investments, LLC (1994–2000)[1]
DirecTV Latin America, LLC (2000–2018)
IndustryTelecommunications
Founded1994 (1994)
Headquarters
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
,
United States[2]
ProductsSatellite television
ParentGrupo Werthein
SubsidiariesDirecTV Argentina
DirecTV Chile
DirecTV Colombia
DirecTV Ecuador
DirecTV Peru
DirecTV Uruguay
Sky Brasil/OiTV
Torneos Argentina
Torneos Colombia
Websitevriocorp.com

As of 2018, DirecTV Latin America's legal name was changed to Vrio Corp.[4]

History
DirecTV SF6 2-LNB "Round" satellite dish only in Latin America

In 1994, Hughes Electronics Corporation and Venezuelan media company Grupo Cisneros create a joint venture named Galaxy Latin America, a company intended to distribute DirecTV services in 27 Latin American countries, initially with an offer of 144 channels. In that same year, it enters the Chilean market and then it was launched in Mexico.

In 2000, Galaxy Latin America LLC was renamed as DirecTV Latin America LLC.

In 2005, Grupo Cisneros sold its 14% stake on DirecTV Latin America to The DirecTV Group Inc.[5] While in Mexico and Brazil it merged with rival Sky and disappeared, in South America it absorbed Sky as the latter struggled in the market.

On January 17, 2016, the Secretary of Environment of Bogotá, sanctioned DirecTV's Colombian subsidiary, Directv Colombia Ltda., with a sum of $118 million for placing advertisement without the proper permission from the city.[6] The company violated Decree 959, published in 2000, that regulates where companies can place public publicity.

On September 15, 2017, Reuters reported that AT&T, the owner of DirecTV's U.S. and Latin American divisions, had hired an advisor to consider offering DirecTV Latin America on the public stock market. The principal motive was cited as the need to reduce the debt load AT&T would assume if it took over Time Warner as planned. Since that date, the U.S. Dept. of Justice filed suit to block that acquisition on antitrust grounds, a trial is scheduled to start on 19 March 2018 before Judge Leon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and a decision is not expected before June–July. However, even if the deal is blocked, AT&T might dispose of the division as not core to its business.[7] On April 19, 2018, the IPO was cancelled.

On May 19, 2020, the company ceased operations in Venezuela, due to US sanctions against pro-Maduro TV channels Globovisión and PDVSA TV in 2019. These channels require mandatory transmission imposed by the telecommunications commission of Venezuela, CONATEL, while the US sanctions simultaneously block the transmission of these channels.[8]

On July 21, 2021, AT&T Latin America announced that they will sell Vrio to Grupo Werthein, which will include all DirecTV operations in Latin America and SKY Brasil (while keeping the broadband operations in Colombia and their stake at Sky México).[9] The sale was completed on November 16, 2021.[10]

Subsidiaries

Chile

The Chilean subsidiary of DirecTV has operated in the country since 1994. It bought Sky Chile and absorbed it into its operations. It signed an agreement with GTD Manquehue to offer full telephone, television, and internet services throughout the country.

  • During the second quarter of 2011, the company was positioned as the second fastest growing pay TV company in Chile, registering 23.8% of the total market.
  • In 2012, the company led the pay TV market with an 18.7% market share.
  • Between 2012 and 2015, DirecTV Chile received the "Consumer Loyalty" award NPS.
  • Between December 2012 and March 2013, the company was consolidated as the first paid television company that has grown the most in the country.
  • Between 2011 and 2016, DirecTV Chile received the National Customer Satisfaction Award ProCalidad as the best pay TV service.

In 2012, it made an agreement with Club Deportivo Universidad Católica to carry the brand name DirecTV on their jerseys. In 2015, it made an agreement with Colo-Colo to also carry the DirecTV logo.

DGO
DGO logo

DGO (previously known as DirecTV Go) is an over-the-top video streaming service that includes both linear channels and video on demand. The service was launched in 2018 in Argentina, Chile and Colombia. In 2019, the service was expanded to Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay, then Mexico and Brazil in 2020. DirecTV satellite subscribers have free access to the service, but Sky Mexico and Sky Brazil subscribers do not. On October 11, 2022, DirecTV Go was rebranded as DGO.[11]

DSports

DSports is a group of sports channels that are exclusive to DirecTV subscribers, featuring primarily association football, basketball, cycling and combat sports.

Current rights

References
  1. "BNamericas – Galaxy Latin America Changes Names to Direct".
  2. Bloomberg. "DIRECTV Latin America LLC". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  3. "DirecTV's Latin America Pay-TV Is Booming". Forbes. Archived from the original on September 24, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  4. "AT&T News, Wireless and Network Information | AT&T Newsroom".
  5. "Grupo Cisneros vende su parte en Directv A. Latina".
  6. http://www.eltiempo.com/bogota/sancion-a-directv-por-publicidad-exterior-ilegal/16485402?ts=42 (Spanish)
  7. "Exclusive: AT&T weighs divestiture of Latin American TV assets – sources". Reuters. September 16, 2017.
  8. "AT&T Closes DIRECTV Latin America Operations in Venezuela".
  9. "AT&T Sells Its DirecTV Latin America Unit Vrio to Holding Company Grupo Werthein". July 21, 2021.
  10. Com, Tudocelular (November 16, 2021). "Grupo argentino conclui compra de SKY Brasil e DirecTV GO junto à AT&T". Tudocelular.com.
  11. Bertolini, Paula (October 13, 2022). "DirecTV Go cambia de nombre a DGO" [DirecTV Go changes its name to DGO] (in Spanish). DPL News. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
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