You already needed a scorecard to tell everyone about this era of streaming and complicated cord cutting. The nationwide launch of AT&T TV on Monday nationwide not only ushers in a new player, but it creates even more confusion.
Come to think of it, AT&T is not exactly a stranger to the television landscape, given the way U-verse and DirecTV are under its auspices, as well as the HBO Max streaming service that is expected to arrive in May.
So what is AT&T TV, and as a cord cutter, is this last alternative to cable (or DirecTV) something to consider? Tip: I’m lukewarm after a few days of testing, mostly due to technical and navigation issues – and worse, missing content.
AT&T TV combines live TV with Google Play apps
AT&T sees AT&T TV as its new flagship TV product, the place where all of the company’s marketing in space will be applied in the future, although neither DirecTV nor U-verse will disappear anytime soon.
The new service is a combination of live TV packages and streaming options, with subscribers having access to more than 5,000 apps in the Google Play Store, of which HBO Max will be one, as well as Netflix and YouTube TV. You also get a cloud DVR with 500 hours of storage.
Part of the company’s argument is that you can switch between apps and live TV without changing inputs or grabbing a separate remote control.
The remote control that comes with the slim box you connect to the TV is voice activated, so you can bark commands to change channels, find a specific program, turn on closed captioning or invoke the Google Assistant. As on a smartphone, you can ask the assistant for the weather, a stock price or to dim the domestic lighting.
Google Chromecast is also integrated, allowing you to stream content to the TV from your phone, tablet, or computer.
AT&T TV rates
First-year standalone AT&T TV promotional packages start at $ 49.99 per month, with a 24-month commitment. You can get it for $ 39.99 in a bundle with fast 1 Gigabit fiber AT&T Internet service, if available, or for the $ 10 rebate if you get broadband or wireless otherwise. ‘AT&T. As part of the bundle, AT&T fiber customers can also get their Internet for $ 39.99.
Monthly television prices are $ 93 higher than in the second year. And as is usually the case with cable, there are tiered packages that cost more for the added channels – in the first year and beyond.
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Meanwhile, each additional set-top box for watching TV in other rooms of the house costs an additional $ 10 per month; you can buy a box for $ 120, using it, for example, for the Play Store apps, even if you eventually have to give up AT&T TV.
AT&T TV subscribers can also watch content on their phones and tablets.
The hardware supports 4K, although at launch none of AT T’s live programs are available in 4K.
Missing content
You’ll still have to pay to subscribe to Disney +, Netflix, YouTube TV, Showtime, HBO Max, and other premium services.
Unfortunately, there is a major vacuum in the streaming services available. Prior to launch, there is no Amazon Prime, Hulu, or Apple TV +, although AT&T reports that conversations with these content providers are ongoing.
Certain local or sports channels, depending on your place of residence, may also be among the missing.
And yes, football fans will still have to subscribe to DirecTV for the NFL Sunday Ticket, which AT&T TV will not have in its own packages.
Voices and other snags
Aside from the price differences, there is no problem setting up AT&T TV with your own broadband provider, rather than AT T’s own Internet service. I installed my AT&T box demo with broadband by Verizon Fios.
For the most part, this configuration went well: connection of an HDMI cable to the television, choice of the Internet and AT&T and Google account identification information to access the capacities of Android TV and the Play Store.
But I encountered frustrating problems once I started watching TV, some with the voice remote control. For example, when I asked aloud to “read the YES network”, the channel was not found. Instead, just saying “play YES” brought me there.
I also asked the remote to “play SNY” and again the channel could not be found. It doesn’t matter whether SNY is listed in the program guide or whether I can play it from there. By voice, I had to ask AT&T TV to “play SportsNet New York”.
I reported these issues to AT&T and they were fixed later.
At another point during my tests, I was able to record a program that I watched live on CNN, but for some reason, I couldn’t do the same on an MSNBC program. This too seems to have been resolved.
I’m happy with the fixes, but I still feel like the DVR and global navigation need a touch of polish. It was not entirely clear, for example, if I committed to recording a single episode of a series or the entire series. And when I stopped recording a show, and then decided to record it again shortly after, that didn’t help.
I used the voice remote to start a Spotify playlist, which was good. And yet, I would have liked to be able to continue listening to music while simultaneously observing the program guide. But when I pressed the Guide button on the remote control to take me there, the music was silenced.
I am sure AT&T will be able to fill the missing key rate; the content agreements to get there are a business priority, I’m told.
Until that is the case, however, and assuming services like Amazon Primes and Hulu are close and dear to your heart, I recommend that you take a pass.
Email: [email protected]; To follow @edbaig on Twitter