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AT&T TV Launches Nationwide Feb. 2020

39K views 780 replies 63 participants last post by  bamasat22 
#1 · (Edited)
I hope they add more streams, maybe have the same 7 HD streams that the HS-17 has? They also don't have two main channels in my area that I like 11 and 24.

AT&T TV launches nationwide in February 2020


AT&T Communications CEO Jeff McElfresh, speaking today at Barclays Global TMT Conference, said that AT&T TV will officially launch in February 2020 and that it, along with HBO Max, will spearhead a "market reorientation" at AT&T.

"Our growth agenda is on fiber, in our entertainment group, and on AT&T TV," said McElfresh. He said AT&T TV will feature customer acquisition costs of about half of what AT&T currently spends to bring on legacy satellite TV subscribers for DirecTV. He said the content lineup will be "every bit as good" as what AT&T currently offers through DirecTV and U-verse and that the user experience is "future leaning."
 
#660 ·
I agree. Asking streamers to commit to a high price contract for two years was already a risky deal. With people looking at loss of income and potential higher prices if there are shortages it would be short sighted to lock in a commitment. Now would be a good time to make a drastic change to AT&T TV and make it a more palatable choice.
 
#676 ·
I got to thinking about how/why ATT's streaming service is so overpriced. I'm thinking that they took the easy road with the content providers and made their contracts with them for streaming to be about the same as they had been doing all along for cable/sat. You know, the fat channel, high prices with contract deal.

Other streamers went to those content providers and made very different contracts. Right now we have essentially 3 cable/sat replacement streaming services. Sling, YTTV and Hulu+Live. But we also have upcoming streamers that will fill some/most of those needs. Peacock and HBO Max, coupled with Hulu basic and CBS:AA will probably cover almost all non-sports related stuff.

And going even further forward, live sports will be seeing a sea change in how we get them. I firmly believe that the RSN business model will go away, possibly to be replaced by teams having their own service. Non-sports teams will be replaced by something like DAZN. All my opinion of course.
 
#661 ·
Even without a contract, the 1st year pricing is a bit on the high side. Both Entertainment and Choice compare to YouTubeTV and Hulu+Live in channel counts and breadth of channel offerings with Entertainment missing pretty much all sports.

YTTV = $50. Includes all locals and some RSNs depending on locality. Plus a good selection of other channels across a pretty wide range.

Hulu+Live = $55. Pretty much the same as YTTV though it has RSNs everywhere and a slightly different channel lineup.

Entertainment (ATT)= $50 1st Year, $93 2nd year
Choice (ATT) = $55 1st year, $100(?) 2nd year
Total (ATT) = $65+RSN 1st year, $125+RSN 2nd year.

Personally I think Total comes closer to having the same mix as YTTV and Hulu+Live, but it does have more channels than them.
 
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#667 ·
The last thing I did before cancelling was suspend my service. Under the old DIRECTV billing system, it was an automated process. (Also suspended back in 2016 when first trialing DTV Now) Once my account was converted to an ATT account, I had to speak to a CSR to suspend.
 
#675 ·
Since the governor ordered all bars/restaurants in my state closed a couple days ago I figured I'd try my luck at suspending my account. Wasn't sure if it was even possible to suspend a commercial account, but turns out it is.

I had to wait on hold a half hour (never had to wait more than 30 seconds before, but I'm sure call centers are shorthanded or outright closed right now) and they kept playing annoyingly loud hold messages in Spanish for some reason, but I was able to suspend my account. If they weren't willing to let me do that I figured I could just strip off all the packages down to the bare minimum, but paying $0 is a better deal :)

If I had to wait that long as a commercial subscriber, you might have to wait all day to call in as residential. If you want to suspend a residential account and there's a way to do it online or via chat instead of calling I'd recommend that!
 
#679 ·
...and let me add that YouTubeTV could very well be profitable because of the way their DVR service intermixes VOD complete with non-skippable ads. And in live TV they get paid for ads also. And of course, with Google our info is one of their products.
 
#681 ·
It's hard to tell if YTTV is profitable since Google does not break out those numbers separately. That said, Google is pretty good at monetizing metadata....I'm guessing that's where they think the real money is...
 
#683 ·
One paid subscription covering both services? Sounds interesting.
 
#687 ·
- Well they could instantly advertise they have millions of subscribers.
- People that simply refuse to make the change to online service might change their mind.
- If as it has been said by many people one of the strategies is to migrate subscribers from Satellite to internet service, it could accelerate the process.
 
#688 ·
Well the death knoll rings U-Verse TV is no longer accepting new subscribers only existing subscribers can use the service as per the U-Verse TV page:

IMPORTANT U-VERSE UPDATE
To help our employees serve our existing customers, we're no longer selling U-verse TV. Service for existing U-verse TV customers is not impacted.
They are advertising AT&T TV and are now comparing how AT&T TV is better than U-Verse TV:

Rectangle Font Parallel Screenshot Circle
 
#690 ·
Saw an article that AT&T is no longer doing any new installs of Uverse TV. Looks like they feel AT&T TV is ready to take over for it for new customers, though I suppose that was a pretty low bar.
 
#692 ·
The media must be lurking here. AT&T stopped selling U-Verse TV on March 31st to new customers in its entirety then I posted about it yesterday and now the media has articles about it. Although this reminds me of the trial market situation from last year.

While not reported right now I bet you if a current U-Verse TV customer moves to a new location even if U-Verse TV was available at that location prior to March 31st AT&T will try to transition that customer to AT&T TV (first) or DirecTV (second) unless it is an apartment complex where the landlord has a contract for U-Verse TV.
 
#693 ·
Saw today that new subscribers to DirecTV and ATT TV will get HBO for no additional cost for the 1st year.

IMO, that makes it interesting with ATT TV. If you sub to ATT TV and pick entertainment, keep it one year and then cancel, that makes the real cost $65/month. And that compares well to other linear streamers.

Of course nothing you do can make the 2nd and subsequent years monthly fee a good deal.
 
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#697 ·
Well AT&T Now has added a few channels that YTTV dis not have and I had to Philo to get:
History
CMT
Comedy Central

With this now the same as YTTV and for $10 I get HBO.

What’s the streaming quality on AT&T Now like? YTTV gone down a bit lately so wondering about AT&T.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
#701 ·
Well AT&T Now has added a few channels that YTTV dis not have and I had to Philo to get:
History
CMT
Comedy Central

With this now the same as YTTV and for $10 I get HBO.

What's the streaming quality on AT&T Now like? YTTV gone down a bit lately so wondering about AT&T.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
The quality of the video streaming is very comparable to YTTV. When I did my review of the AT&T TV device (aka Osprey) I actually put two TV sets side by side one with AT&T TV Now and one with DirecTV and couldn't tell a difference between the PQ (except on channels like Fox Sports Ohio where AT&T TV Now has full time HD streams where D* is part time HD obvs.)
 
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#698 ·
The $55 Plus package actually looks competitive with YTTV, some minor differences that could be deal breakers for some each way.

AT&T now lacks Discovery(food network, hgtv) AMC (BBC America)

YTTV lacks Viacom (Comedy Central, mtv, Nickelodeon)

While I’d like those added, it’s not worth more than a buck or two a month to get them. If there is a ‘must have’ for me, it’s BBC America for Dr Who. Food and HGTV are occasional time fillers - nothing there is must see, but decent time killers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#702 ·
While the 2nd year pricing is outrageous IMO, with ATT TV (not Now), Entertainment package with free HBO for a year is actually not bad.

If you sign up for Entertainment, use the free HBO for a year and then cancel the HBO in the 2nd year the average cost of the package for the whole time is a tad over $71/month.

If you sign up fo Entertainment, use the free HBO for the year and cancel all of it at the end of the year the average cost is $65/month. That’s equal to YTTV+HBO.

For those that usually sub to HBO that represents a good value. If ATT had profiles I’d be sorely tempted to sign up. Both Entertainment & YTTV have most of the channels I actually do watch though the mix is a bit different.
 
#703 ·
I did more digging into ATT TV since it has 5.1 audio on at least some channels and the channel mix in Entertainment fits me, and I usually have HBO subscribed.

A couple show stoppers showed up quickly.
1. Cloud DVR -the 500 hour Cloud dvr is fine, but the 30 day retention isn’t! For most shows it would be, but there are some I like to keep until a season is over and then binge watch.

2. No app for the Xbox One - In my setup this is big. I use the Xbox One with Dolby Access app to twiddle 5.1 and above audio to a virtualized Atmos.
 
#708 ·
I did more digging into ATT TV since it has 5.1 audio on at least some channels and the channel mix in Entertainment fits me, and I usually have HBO subscribed.

A couple show stoppers showed up quickly.
1. Cloud DVR -the 500 hour Cloud dvr is fine, but the 30 day retention isn't! For most shows it would be, but there are some I like to keep until a season is over and then binge watch.

2. No app for the Xbox One - In my setup this is big. I use the Xbox One with Dolby Access app to twiddle 5.1 and above audio to a virtualized Atmos.
AT&T TV DVR has 90 days retention not 30.

If you go to the ATT TV Now website and look at 'additional' or some such, it will show the same subscriptions that ATT TV has but at full price. Ie; entertainment at $93 from the beginning.
But that is AT&T TV NOW and not AT&T TV. Your post stated:
ATT TV - 2 ways
One way is full price no contract, no box
Other way is with box, contract and about 1/2 price first year.

I see no subscription for AT&T TV that offers a no contract option.

Every subscription I see at the AT&T website for AT&T TV shows a 24 month contract.
 
#707 ·
If you go to the ATT TV Now website and look at 'additional' or some such, it will show the same subscriptions that ATT TV has but at full price. Ie; entertainment at $93 from the beginning.
 
#713 ·
I own 2 houses here in town, same ISP at both. So could I watch at both places at the same time?

And audio, I think I read that audio on the live channels was 5.1 audio but haven’t been able to confirm that.
 
#714 ·
I own 2 houses here in town, same ISP at both. So could I watch at both places at the same time?
Maybe. I assume that the second house would be assigned a different IP number (just like a house you don't own). It would depend on what security AT&T has put in place. I would not expect to have a permanent setup spanning two houses appearing on the network separately unless the rules enforced do not require a same location check in.
 
#717 ·
AT&T TV Now: Yes - This service has no restrictions except when you max out on the 3 streams included in the packages.

AT&T TV: No - See below

Since AT&T TV is designed to be more cable-like it has more cable-like restrictions. On mobile devices you can watch anywhere in the US without restriction. If you try to watch something at your main house and your 2nd house (let's say main house AT&T TV device, 2nd house Apple TV) then no.

Devices like Apple TV, Amazon Fire devices, Roku, smart TVs, etc have to be connected to the "home network" (i.e. the network your AT&T TV device) is on. Your home network is determined by the network your AT&T TV device is connected to. Now you can change your "home network" 4 times in a 12 month period.

Not sure about using the Google Chromcast feature (i.e. using an iPad at a 2nd home to cast the program to TV.)
 
#722 ·
It is interesting to note that in many forums and articles the confusion of service offerings at AT&T is not considered a plus by any. Most of the positive postings I see about ATT TV are actually about ATT TV Now and from those with grandfathered plans.

To the confusion of :
ATT Watch TV
ATT TV Now
ATT TV

And the various sub levels some of those offer. Now comes HBO Max. I like what it seems to be offering at a pretty fair price, assuming that the quality of the originals HBO is famous for, hold up.

But will you get it? Depends on where you get HBO Go/Now from. So some more confusion.
 
#726 · (Edited)
It is interesting to note that in many forums and articles the confusion of service offerings at AT&T is not considered a plus by any. Most of the positive postings I see about ATT TV are actually about ATT TV Now and from those with grandfathered plans.

To the confusion of :
ATT Watch TV
ATT TV Now
ATT TV

And the various sub levels some of those offer. Now comes HBO Max. I like what it seems to be offering at a pretty fair price, assuming that the quality of the originals HBO is famous for, hold up.

But will you get it? Depends on where you get HBO Go/Now from. So some more confusion.
Well AT&T Watch TV has its own app they could have picked a better name for it tbh at least they didn't name it AT&T TV &More to follow after those disastrously named Wireless plans.

Essentially for the most part how AT&T TV Now works (with the exception of multiple homes) is how AT&T TV works. The Plus & Max packages have the same features as AT&T TV's mainline packages (3 streams/500 hours of storage/90 day retention). If AT&T TV Now has 5.1 Surround Sound on a channel AT&T TV will have it. I don't have a soundbar so I couldn't test that myself. AT&T TV / TV Now share the same streaming channel feeds, on demand library, etc.

We have used HBO Now since it appeared. Don't remember how much HBO Max will cost but I'm sure we will have that active for a couple months a year. If ATT doesn't screw that up too. Geez, these guys that run ATT...

Rich
HBO Max costs the same as HBO but offers more than what just HBO has. That has me wondering how long HBO (not max) will be around.
Standalone HBO Max costs $14.99 the same price as standalone HBO Now but you essentially get double the content with HBO Max (HBO + all the additional HBO Max content). The traditional MVPD cost varies for traditional HBO.

John Stankey also said during the WarnerMedia Day event that HBO Go and HBO Now will continue for those who want to use them. (Although he related it to a degree of an IQ test why wouldn't someone want double the content for the same price.) But if the customer wants HBO Now over HBO Max AT&T will give them the option. Eventually the HBO GO and HBO Now platforms will be skinned and rendered within the HBO Max platform so they only have 1 technology set to maintain instead of 3 individual technology sets. (See their WarnerMedia Day Webcast @ 1:55:55)
 
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#727 · (Edited)
I eventually forsee the traditional HBO offer including HBO Max by default once AT&T gets all the distributors on board. As long as the linear channels stay the traditional MVPD HBO will stay. Eventually over time like (5+ years down the road) HBO Now could be the most expendable one.

Speaking of this:
  • AT&T TV is going to launch it's own version of the Premier package that includes HBO Max (coming soon)
    • AT&T will be pre-loading HBO Max app onto the AT&T TV device.
  • AT&T Internet subscribers who have AT&T 1Gig Fiber Internet will also get HBO Max at no additional cost
  • Existing customers on many of AT&T's video packages will be eligible for HBO and HBO Max for 3 months at no additional charge when HBO Max launches
    • Fine print: After 3 months, HBO and HBO Max will auto-renew at then prevailing rate unless customer calls to change or cancel. Limit one 3-month offer per AT&T customer. This excludes video customers on our lowest tier plans such as DIRECTV FAMILY, U-Family, U-Basic, AT&T TV Now PLUS. Subject to change.
  • New and existing AT&T Internet subscribers on non-1 Gig Internet will get a special offer of HBO Max included for 1 month on AT&T.
    • Fine Print: After 1 month, HBO Max will auto-renew at then prevailing rate unless customer cancels through HBO Max. Subject to change.
See: HBO Max Available to Millions of AT&T Customers on May 27
 
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#729 ·
Read and article today that said only those with the Premier DirecTV package will get HBO Max for free. Those with lesser packages will get only a year free. If that's the case, not happy about it. I'm an HBO subscriber, but not Premiere, so I wonder if that plays into it.
 
#731 ·
Yeah, that's what the latest is saying. And it just adds to the already very confusing mish-mash of plans that ATT is just throwing against the wall. It is amazing to me that a company of the size of ATT with a big marketing department and plenty of marketing experts can't make this much less confusing. Or maybe they figure by making it confusing people will sign up for more than they thought they were?

Regardless, the reviews are in and posted all over the place and almost all of them are very negative when it comes to the various plans.
 
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#739 ·
So instead of just saying HBO itself will disappear to be replaced with HBO Max in all cases, they come up with a more convoluted way to add further confusion and BS to their TV offerings?

Talk about pulling the hat out of the rabbit!! :)
 
#752 ·
IMO, confusing offerings is not a mistake, it's a design point. If they can make their offerings just confusing enough so that the casual buyer will sign up for something a bit more expensive than they would have, and lock them in with a contract....:D
 
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