AT&T TV is now fully at the center of AT&T’s streaming TV world.
Sarah Tew / CNET
AT&T TV now, the streaming service of the telecommunications and media giant, is leaving. On Tuesday, AT&T announced it would “merge” TV Now with AT&T TV, its cable and satellite alternative that also broadcasts live TV over the Internet, but previously required to have at least one of AT&T’s dedicated streaming boxes. .
As part of the merger, AT&T is also removing the requirement that AT&T TV customers use at least one of its streaming boxes, called AT&T TV Stream, and is also getting rid of the mandatory AT&T TV contract.
From now on, AT&T TV will be monthly, as will AT&T TV Now. AT&T says that current contracts will remain in effect, but once they expire, customers can switch to a month-to-month payment option. If you are on a trial period with AT&T TV, you can switch to a non-contract plan without paying an early termination fee.
AT&T TV’s non-contract packages start at $ 70 a month for a basic entertainment package that includes ESPN, CNN and FX, as well as local broadcast channels and 20 hours of cloud DVR. An additional $ 10 per month increases the DVR’s storage to 500 hours per month. Regional sports are included from the Choice package, which costs $ 85 a month without a contract and includes one year of HBO Max and NBA League Pass Premium.
Those who are not afraid to commit can still sign a two-year contract, which reduces the price of the entertainment package to $ 60 a month in the first year, before jumping to $ 93 a month in the second. Users of choice would see the price drop from $ 85 a month to $ 65 a month in the first year of the two-year contract, but in the second year the price would increase to $ 110 a month. Those with Choice on a two-year contract would also be subject to paying an additional $ 8.49 per month “regional sports fee” for two years.
Both packages, however, include 500 hours of DVR as part of the two-year commitment.
As for devices, if you don’t want to use the company’s Android TV streaming box (aptly called the AT&T TV device), you can stream AT&T TV on a number of devices. That includes iOS and Android phones and tablets, as well as TV streamers such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Google Chromecast and Samsung smart TVs (2017 or later).
“We are adding more value and simplicity by combining these two streaming services into a single AT&T TV experience,” said Vince Torres, senior vice president of marketing for AT&T, in a statement.
First presented in November 2016 as DirecTV NowAT&T TV Now was the operator’s first television streaming service. The company expanded to offer a some different streaming options over the years, including a cheaper (now discontinued) AT&T Watch TV, which largely consisted of the Turner channels owned by it and AT&T TV, the current cable and satellite replacement. It also launched HBO Max, its rival Netflix and Disney Plus, last year.
Although the company is no longer adding new subscribers to AT&T TV Now, a company spokesman said that existing users will still be able to use the service and “will have no interruption as part of that change”, adding that the price “is not changing at this time. ”