AT&T TV hands-on: National TV provider begins streaming at $50 a month – CNET

AT&T has a large number of TV products and services. There is satellite tv for pc broadcaster DirecTV, cable provider U-Verse, reside TV streaming products and services AT&T TV Now (previously DirecTV Now) and AT&T Watch TV, on-demand streamers HBO Now and HBO Pass, in addition to soon-to-launch Netflix competitor HBO Max. Now you’ll be able to upload every other, referred to as merely “AT&T TV.” After a restricted release in 13 markets together with New York, Seattle and El Paso, AT&T TV is to be had national on Monday. 

AT&T TV is designed to interchange DirecTV or conventional cable TV with a package deal of reside TV channels — together with locals akin to ABC and Fox, in addition to cable channels akin to ESPN, TNT, Nickelodeon and HGTV — streamed over the web. HBO is incorporated with all programs and consumers shall be upgraded to HBO Max at no further price when that provider launches in Would possibly. And identical to an identical top rate reside TV products and services geared toward cable TV cord-cutters, akin to YouTube TV, it begins at $50 a month. 

It has a lot of similarities to cable, alternatively, beginning with the truth that it calls for that you simply signal a two-year contract. And that engaging $50 worth is just for the primary yr; after that, the per thirty days price jumps to $93 for the bottom package deal. As standard, you’ll be able to go for costlier programs that experience further channels.

Whilst AT&T shall be pushing AT&T TV as its new possibility, individuals who already subscribe to one in every of its many different TV products and services will nonetheless be capable of stay the use of their present provider and all will nonetheless settle for new consumers. In different phrases, AT&T is not shutting DirecTV down. But. 

Hi new (required) Android TV field

AT&T TV subscribers will want no less than one of the vital provider’s set-top containers attached to a TV to look at. Like Comcast’s Flex TV field for Xfinity consumers and standalone streamers akin to Nvidia Defend, the AT&T TV field is powered by means of Google’s Android TV machine. Along with AT&T TV, the field may also run different apps like Netflix or Disney Plus. You’ll additionally factor Google Assistant voice instructions by means of talking into the incorporated far off, permitting you to name up such things as climate experiences on-screen or regulate sensible house units like lighting fixtures and home equipment — in addition to seek for TV displays and flicks.

The field is 4K- and HDR-capable and will movement apps like Netflix within the upper answer. At release there aren’t any reside 4K AT&T TV channels, although the corporate says it’ll upload them someday. 

Subscribers too can movement reside TV by the use of the AT&T TV app on iOS or Android telephones and pills, the internet, or on TVs with Amazon Hearth TV units, Apple TV and a few Samsung TVs. Roku customers with the AT&T TV app put in already too can movement the provider, however a combat between AT&T and Roku has avoided new AT&T TV app downloads at the platform. 

AT&T permits for 3 units to be streaming immediately, very similar to Google’s YouTube TV streaming provider. The primary AT&T TV field is incorporated on your subscription, further containers are $120 (or $10 a month for the primary yr). 

Arms-on first impressions

I were given the danger to make use of the provider over the past week in New York and it used to be most commonly clean crusing, in spite of some lag. Even with my 400 megabit-per-second web connection, I skilled minor delays when summoning Google Assistant and when converting channels. Reaction instances were not as speedy as many TV units I have used.

Then there is every other more or less extend: reside content material lags a couple of seconds in the back of cable or satellite tv for pc. This would possibly not topic for some, however in the event you watch reside sports activities or apply Twitter whilst looking at your favourite drama, be ready to be somewhat in the back of everybody else.

The interface boots immediately into AT&T TV, versus an Android TV apps web page. It is blank, with large tiles all over showcasing what is on now or other movies or episodes I may just watch. 

Google Assistant voice controls labored neatly. Talking into the far off I may just inform it to modify immediately to a channel like HBO or ESPN, or have it seek for a selected display or movie without reference to if it is on reside TV, on-demand or inside of apps. After I requested to look at The Irishman, as an example, a pop-up from Google Assistant gave the impression on-screen, letting me know Netflix had it to be had. 

The Google Play Retailer gave me get entry to to a big collection of apps, although for some explanation why Hulu wasn’t to be had at the AT&T TV field all over my checking out. Thankfully there’s a lovely simple method round this, because the field doubles as a Chromecast for streaming off of your telephone, pill or pc. 

Bandwidth, bundles and incentives

Past the desired contract and field, AT&T TV stocks every other similarity with same old cable: bundling. You’ll be able to want house web to make use of AT&T TV — the corporate recommends a velocity of no less than 25Mbps — and in spaces that AT&T provides web provider the corporate will package deal gigabit provider at the side of AT&T TV. 

The package deal begins at kind of $80 a month for the primary yr with a two-year contract at the base TV plan. Similar to with the usual provider, alternatively, you will be locked right into a two-year contract and costs at the TV aspect will cross up after the primary yr. 

Because it steadily does, AT&T additionally provides an incentive for subscribers to its wi-fi provider, who can knock $10 off their AT&T TV package deal. 

There also are different charges related to AT&T TV, akin to taxes and regional sports activities charges of as much as $eight.49 per thirty days. There is not any per thirty days condominium price for the desired field or far off, however there’s a $20 one-time “activation price.” AT&T’s house web provider additionally has a per thirty days $10 web apparatus price. 

With all of its charges and gotchas, particularly the desired contract and value hike after 12 months, AT&T is not my first advice for folks taking a look to give up cable or satellite tv for pc. In reality you may actually get a greater deal out of your cable supplier. In relation to opting for a TV streaming provider in 2020, worth is steadily the deciding issue and no-contract choices akin to YouTube TV or Hulu with Are living TV are higher values. No less than for now, AT&T TV may have many taking a look somewhere else.