AT&T is taking television to the next level with the new DirecTV Now. Imagine new thinking and new ideas like streaming channels and mobile TV all for a lower cost. So many customers who left the pay-TV market with its skyrocketing prices should love DirecTV Now. AT&T is now offering four plan choices ranging from $35 per month for 60-plus channels, all the way up to $70 for 120-plus channels. At that price, everyone can afford pay-TV again.
AT&T noted more than 20 million households are no longer part of the pay-TV ecosystem. I would think this is one of many groups AT&T is focusing on. DirecTV Now is streamed across smartphones, tablets and computers, which is where a growing number of users spend the clear majority of their time. This is tomorrow thinking.
DirecTV Now, wireless, mobile TV, streaming to devices
They told us about this at their analyst meeting a couple months ago. This is more than just AT&T getting into TV, it is AT&T reinventing TV and creating the entirely new mobile TV experience. This, among other things, is what’s sending Comcast back to the drawing board with Verizon Wireless trying to come up with a competitive answer. This is that big.
If you remember, we had cable television with companies like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter and others. We had satellite TV with companies like DirecTV and Dish Network. And we had IPTV with services like AT&T U-verse, Verizon Fios and Centurylink Prism. However, as competitors have been increasing, innovation hasn’t. Until now.
DirecTV Now on AT&T Mobility and Cricket Wireless
Last year AT&T acquired DirecTV putting them into the national television space competing with every provider. At that time DirecTV and Dish were not growing. However, after the AT&T acquisition, DirecTV started to grow. At the AT&T analyst meeting a few months ago they showed us just how strong growth was at DirecTV.
They also whet our appetite by announcing DirecTV in different flavors. DirecTV Now was one of those flavors, and now it is here. This will provide plenty of channels, plenty of innovation at a very low cost compared to traditional cable TV. This is what customers have been asking for. Finally, someone has listened.
DirecTV Now will deliver their programming wirelessly over AT&T Mobility, Cricket Wireless and streaming. AT&T has created an entirely new space in the television and entertainment world. That means you can watch anytime and anyplace. Whether you are sitting in a carpool line waiting for the kids, or on the other side of the country on a business trip. You can always access your DirecTV Now account, anytime and anyplace.
DirecTV Now with mobile TV is gigantic, innovative leap
That’s a gigantic innovative leap forward. That changes everything. That is why Comcast is now working behind the scenes with Verizon Wireless to come up with a competitive answer. And that’s why every competitor must do the same thing to remain competitive.
Television is changing. Now it’s going wireless and streaming and AT&T is bringing all sorts of new and innovative channels and offers like the new Taylor Swift channel and the Reese Witherspoon channel called Hello Sunshine.
This changes everything. AT&T is reinventing the television scene and I am getting the feeling that as exciting as this is, it is only the very first stages of that transformation. Bringing content wirelessly to all their wireless customers. This is a sticky bundle that let’s AT&T build their customer base on all fronts since you need to use AT&T services to get all these goodies. So, this is a case where everyone wins. Customers get innovation and AT&T gets a stable customer base.
Stay tuned, things are starting to get very interesting around TV, wireless, telephone, internet, “internet of things,” artificial intelligence, virtual reality and so much more. I am getting the strong feeling 2017 will be a very interesting and exciting year for customers and investors.
