We first got wind of a shifting AT&T video strategy that will begin to de-emphasize satellite-delivered Directv for broadband delivered video back in September 2017. AT&T CEO revealed plans for a new video service that has since become known as AT&T TV. News today from AT&T highlights this shifting strategy again.
AT&T’s existing streaming service, which was co-branded with Directv as DIRECTV NOW, is getting a new name – AT&T TV Now. AT&T announced today, that as the new AT&T TV service begins a phased rollout this Summer, the DIRECTV NOW brand will be retired.
AT&T TV is expected to offer a similar experience to Directv, sans the satellite dish. The new service will feature an Android-powered set top box (STB), code named Osprey, with content delivered via the internet. A new website shares more info about the service. It will include live TV, access to 55K on-demand titles, and a 500 hour cloud DVR. It also has Google integration for Google Assistant, offering voice commands and other integrations with Google products. One key difference looks to be the absence of the NFL Sunday Ticket.
On its 2Q19 earnings call, AT&T made it clear where the future of their TV offer lies. While saying Directv will not disappear entirely, AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stevenson put the forthcoming AT&T TV into proper context.
“AT&T TV, you should assume this will be the workhorse over the next couple years and we will put our shoulder and our muscle behind AT&T TV, get a lower price point, shore up this customer base over the next couple of years,” said Stephenson on the call.
According to today’s press release, there will be one app that accesses both AT&T TV and AT&T TV Now.
“Both the AT&T TV and AT&T TV NOW experiences will be accessed through the same AT&T TV app either on mobile or the big screen. Customer login credentials will determine what content appears,” the press release states.
AT&T TV Now looks to be a “skinnier” version of AT&T TV, but given this direction, you have to wonder how long that will last?
“In the coming weeks, the AT&T TV app will be available for download across various app stores, and current DIRECTV NOW customers will see this update automatically on their devices,” the press release states. Current DIRECTV NOW subscribers will have to re-accept their terms of service.
AT&T needs to realize that people in rural areas are underserved with broadband, with poor market penetration and ridiculously-low speeds (AT&T is our DSL provider, and we're lucky to get 3MB download speeds – upload speeds average 1/4 MB). So there's still a large market out here for satellite over broadband-delivered content. Rather than shifting to broadband satellite, they'll probably move to Dish.
i had Direct for 10 year before ATT bought it, i never had a problem with price or programming, after ATT bought it, the price continued to climb and when you called servicr reps, they had sent calls to Guam and Jamacia, and most reps could barely speak english and i could never get a problem solved, Removed direct dish, went to Direct Now streaming, they could nver get on demand to work, couldn't get the premiums to work and with 75mg to the house , watch 45 minutes of a program, it would go to a commercial, then a blue message would appear saying i had a problem in my equipment, may want to watch a different program. I explaned i had Netfex, Hulu, Pluto, and Sling and never had a problem with those services, they could never to get it to work and kept trying to get me to but their U-verse serice at 24mg on copper, i explained i had waited over 15 years and not only did they not have U-verse, they didn't even offer Dsl at 3mg in my area. ATT is a ripoff and I hope Dish does acquire Direct, the rural customers deserve more than an excuse that ATT always had.
I have a small phone company that provides internet. I have had DirecTV for around 20 yrs. My price for regular programming is 145 bucks a month. I don’t own anything Google, I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge phone, I am a widow on SS. What is my cheapest way to go ?
I agree 100%! I was a DirecTV customer for 15 years prior to the AT&T takeover. We loved it and never had any issues. Since the AT&T buyout, the quality, service and price suck! We are currently exploring our options as we prepare to “cut the cord” for good, once and for all! Bye bye DirecTV/AT&T! I have never witnessed anything so great absolutely destroyed so quickly. And the saddest thing about it? Nobody at ANY LEVEL of AT&T appears to give a shit! ???
i was an ATT employee for 31 years , the last 15 years was in digital services to business and residential computer services, Management always promised one thing to us but when a problem arose with service supposedly that a customer wanted, upper management always trie to pin the problem on the employees, we would make our 1st level managers with a list of troubles, but i never had one pass the problem on up the line, because their jobs and raises depended on indexes. That's the problem with Direct Dish, 2nd and 3rd level managers have no clue of what a digital signal is, or how it gets from point a to point b, they have a degree on the wall and refuse to listen to the average JOE in the field ,they pass this attitude down to 1st level supervisors and they put their tail between their legs like a whipped puppy and don't rock the boat. Not only is it that way on outside employees but with the service reps that you deal with daily on the phone with problems in billing or service. I issue this dare to anyone, Find a 800 number on line that you can talk to a human if you have Direct Now, or whatever name they have changed their streaming service, at best you will get an electronic chat that when you ask to speak to a rep, will give you a menu to leave your name and number, but no one will ever contact you.
I want to cancel our direct tv with at&t but I'm worried about being billed correctly for the early cancel. It would be worth up to $20.00 a month to get rid if this service but can I rely on that being the final bill? Any one out there cancel early, what was the outcome.
Well, we need the dish out here in the boonies where I live. Directv was fine until At&T came along. Poorest customer service ever! We’ve been with Directv since they started and were going door to door.
What are you doing away with the channels don’t you already make enough money off of us in anyway maybe if we all just all got together and dropped DIRECTV and AT&T or at least give us a money break back on what you already charge us I’m very disappointed in you
I’m so disappointed with the greedy corporate attitude displayed by the Directv brand. I’ve been a satellite/Directv customer since 1995 and I’ve never been so disappointed with them as I am now. It seems we just got through a price raise on what, five or six channels? Now they go for
Our local channels just in time for football playoffs.
I’m really upset and disappointed
At&t DirecTV says on tvpromise.com “don’t go to another provider because you risk losing channels with them to since they are owned by Tegna.” Sounds like a scam to get you not to change providers. These blackouts have been going on with At&t DirecTV for over 3 weeks. I know people with Charter Spectrum and they’ve already reached agreements with Tegna and hasn’t lost any local channels. From what I’ve read by searching online At&t has been slowly phasing out DirecTV. At&t just doesn’t want to lose anymore customers. Most people I know who left At&t uverse DirecTV not only left for another tv cable or satellite provider they got another internet provider and cell phone provider. There is a bill in Congress that was introduced in 2019, H.R. 3994 called The Modern Television Act. Right now is the time for everyone to contact their local Congress and Senators to get this bill brought back up. This bill will make local broadcast owners who sells carriage or reinstatement fees they charge satellite and cable companies to negotiate on a reasonable fee for 60 days before broadcast owners such as Tegna not to blackout local channels before an agreement is reached. Again your local congress and Senate concerning bill H.R. 3994 “The modern Television Act. I refuse to use an antenna for local TV and continue to pay a satellite bill too.