(Telecompaper) AT&T has approached DirecTV about a possible acquisition of the satellite-TV firm, people familiar with the situation told the Wall Street Journal. DirecTV is the second biggest pay-TV operator in the US, serving about 20 million customers, while AT&T's IPTV business serves about 5.7 million. The nearly 26 million subscribers served by the combined company would compare with Comcast after its planned takeover of Time Warner Cable. A deal would likely be worth at least USD 40 billion, DirecTV's current market capitalization. The acquisition would allow AT&T to offer bundles of mobile and TV services nationwide. AT&T already has a partnership with DirecTV to sell its service in areas where it offers broadband but doesn't offer its U-verse TV service. DirecTV is thought to be open to the approach, amid a drop-off in customer growth in recent years. Both companies declined to comment.