AT&T just launched their new AT&T TV service. I’ve been using this service and am very impressed. This ups the game for every competitor. We are in the early days of a massive transformation in the world of pay TV. This is pay TV that uses the Internet and is teamed with Google Assistant. Based on what I see so far, looks like a home run.
This new service is all about the future. It’s innovative and forward thinking. Instead of plugging the box into the cable TV circuit, it connects directly to the Internet. Other TV’s in the home are connected to the main box using a wireless connection like Wi-Fi, Hulu gear or other service.
This service works a high-speed Internet connection. That means it works both with AT&T Internet or any other Internet service you currently use.
The price is very attractive as well, whether you buy just the pay TV service or the bundle with AT&T Internet, which is very fast both uploading and downloading. If you bundle AT&T TV with AT&T Internet, the price is very attractive.
This is a cutting-edge new service that once again raises a serious question about the future of the old-fashioned traditional cable TV industry. Going forward, everything is going over the Internet, both wire line and wireless. This will continue to eat away at traditional cable TV market share like that of Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum and Altice as they move toward the Internet.
AT&T TV also includes streaming TV like HBO Max
The quality of the picture and sound is excellent. The responsiveness of the remote, changing channels, switching from TV to HBO Max, Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Spotify or any other app or feature is quick and easy.
This will also give users access to other streaming services like Disney+, Apple TV+, Peacock and others as they are introduced.
Plus, they say AT&T TV has a Simple Voice Command with Google Assistant, which allows easy access to what they call an All-In-One Entertainment and your favorite streaming apps like HBO Max when it launches in May 2020.
AT&T TV uses Simple Voice Command with Google Assistant
I think this may be a more advanced pay TV service than anything else on the market today. It shows how quick and how massive the transformation in pay TV is occurring.
It had a successful 13 market pilot. It is powered by Android TV and includes TV packages with your favorite channels. It offers access to live TV and apps in one device without having to switch inputs.
Google Assistant lets you do so much more with the remote control. Plus, you can control the entire TV experience with your voice. I think this will become a very important feature on all pay TV services in the next few years.
The Cloud DVR with 500 hours of storage lets you record as many shows as you want to at the same time. It lets you watch on your TV or any place on your smartphone or tablet with the AT&T TV app.
AT&T TV ups-the-ante among pay TV competitors
Considering what’s in the market today, AT&T TV ups-the-ante and takes pay TV to another level. I expect all competitor offerings will continue to be updated and improved as well.
Today, this gives AT&T TV a competitive advantage in the pay TV space.
AT&T has a long history in pay TV. First, they introduced Uverse a decade ago. Next, they acquired DirecTV. Then they introduced DirecTV NOW. Then they acquired Time Warner and renamed it WarnerMedia. This includes Warner Brothers Studio, CNN and vast assets in the news and entertainment space. Next, they will roll out HBO Max, which is a streaming service.
So, AT&T has been growing in size and scope in this industry. In fact, looking at pay TV competitors, AT&T and Comcast are the top two. Other cable TV companies follow these two companies.
AT&T TV takes pay TV to the next level
I think AT&T TV takes pay TV to the next level. There has been talk about changes in the world of TV. News and entertainment coming over pay TV has been changing for a long time and that change wave continues to sweep across the world changing everything.
From IPTV to wireless TV, the bar continues to rise and to transform everything. The television experience is changing and expanding. Today, you can watch TV anywhere over any device like your smartphone or tablet.
This is the change-wave that AT&T is riding, and it seems to be in a great growth-oriented position. It will be interesting to watch how they continue to grow in this changing pay TV space going forward.
They have always been the leader in innovation whether you look at telecom, wireless, Internet and now pay TV with movies, news and entertainment and beyond. The pay TV space continues to advance and to change.
This is why AT&T has been so busy over the last fifteen years transforming and expanding. All these segments work together making them a competitive powerhouse.
In fact, it is their constant innovation that keeps the rest of the industry rapidly moving just to keep up. It will be very interesting to watch how every competitor steps up to this challenge, and changes as well in coming years.
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