DIRECTV Inc. is jumping deeper into the broadband game.

    The satellite TV provider announced a wholesale distribution deal Wednesday with CURRENT Group LLC where it will offer CURRENT’s broadband over powerline (BPL) services to customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by the end of the year or early 2008.

    DIRECTV will use the service to bundle high-speed Internet and VoIP under its brand.

    The company has been busy inking such deals. In June it said it would sell Clearwire Corp.'s WiMAX-based broadband and VoIP services to its customers. DIRECTV also has deals for bundled services with AT&T Inc., Qwest Communications International Inc. and Verizon Communications under those companies’ brands.

    The BPL network in Dallas will initially cover about 1.8 million homes and businesses. CURRENT is also building out a network in Cincinnati and is looking at further expansion. The deal allows DIRECTV to add other markets as CURRENT builds out its network.

    With the BPL, users can plug in a modem into virtually any outlet in their home. The companies said the service is faster than some high-speed offerings by other providers.