AT&T has been tinkering with how to add wireless to the bundle of voice, video, and data for some time now. Examples include the Choice bundle, introduced in March, which allowed customers to choose a wireline or wireless option for the voice portion of a triple play bundle. They’ve now taken the next step and introduced a true quad play option to their U-verse Choice bundle.
“With more than three-fourths of our U-verse customers taking a triple or quad-play bundle, we know this is an option consumers want and can’t get from cable,” said Joey Schultz, vice president of consumer marketing, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We’re giving customers even more reasons to bundle with AT&T. This is an incredible deal that not only gives you savings and one monthly bill, but a full lineup of services that work together to bring you a new level of integrated features, convenience and control.”
The new quad play bundle offers all four services of wireline voice, DSL broadband, U-verse TV, and now AT&T wireless, starting at $172/month. AT&T claims the new bundle offers customers “up to $60 in savings each month for one year.”
Highlighted bundles for the new promotion are described by AT&T as:
- Choice Plus bundle starts at $172 a month for U-verse TV U300 with Total Home DVR capability; U-verse High Speed Internet Elite (up to 6 Mbps downstream); AT&T Nation 450 wireless voice with unlimited messaging; and unlimited nationwide home phone calling with U-verse Voice Unlimited — providing a savings of $540 for one year.
- Choice Premium includes U-verse TV U450 with Total Home DVR capability and HD service; U-verse High Speed Internet Max (up to 12 Mbps downstream); AT&T Nation 450 wireless voice with unlimited messaging; and unlimited nationwide home phone calling for $192 a month and savings of $720 for one year.
AT&T obviously is looking for some competitive advantage over cable with its wireless offerings. Time will tell whether this will work. To date, cable companies are performing quite well in the face of telco competition, especially on the broadband front. Large national providers like Comcast and Time Warner Cable are kicking telco butt, at least in the past few quarters with net new broadband adds, and relatively minor video defections.
We’re about to find out whether consumers value wireless more, than say broadband, for the bundle. What do you think? Does adding wireless to the bundle create tangible competitive advantage?
It's both wireless and broadband. The public has spoken – they want wireless. Give them a mobile broadband experience to complement their home broadband, along with TV and wireless voice. That's how telco can differentiate from cable – they can't do wireless voice.