atttvnow.com

With the increase in streaming services, ditching cable has never been easier. The rise of online streaming services has paved the way for telco giants to expand their reach into the television and entertainment sector. AT&T is one of the most popular telecom companies in the US and recently acquired DirecTV, one of the most popular television service networks. To exert its influence and make viewers more synonymous with their ownership, DirecTV Now has been rebranded to AT&T TV Now. The first step was renaming the app DirecTV Now to AT&T Watch, and the next step will be to update the branding of all their trucks, billboards, and other promotional materials. AT&T has not rebranded the entire DirecTV network. They are taking it one step at a time, ensuring that the brand does not lose its relevance among the audience. DirecTV for a long time had been the most popular satellite TV provider in the US - with DirecTV Now as its digital extension. By rebranding DirecTV Now, AT&T is slowly making its intentions clear. The first step was renaming the app DirecTV Now to AT&T Watch, and the next step will be to update the branding of all their trucks, billboards, and other promotional materials.

History

AT&T TV Now previously known as DirecTV Now is a streaming service that originated from the DirecTV network. The brand has three services encompassing the same infrastructure, including the software. It is a D2C service offered around the country which actively competes with leading OTT television services. AT&T TV Now was launched in June 2018 as a skinny bundle with no local or sports channels. In August 2019, AT&T began offering AT&T TV, which is a contract-based service similar to the traditional multichannel television model. This service utilizes set-top boxes that are Android-based and is replacing AT&T U-Verse TV in the areas it was offered before.

Design

The website design of AT&T TV Now reflects the corporate nature of the company. It appears uninspiring with uniformly list across the website. Aesthetically, it does not compare well to the elegant designs of Hulu and Netflix. In terms of functionality, it is satisfactory. I did not find any stutter or discrepancies when navigating the website. Once you enter the website, you will find a top menu comprising of five options - Packages, Extras, Ways to Watch, Us vs Them and FAQ. Besides that, you will find Sign-in and start streaming options on the right. If you are already signed in, you will find a search bar and a gear icon that allows you to enter the account settings menu. The search bar is quite basic, nothing exceptional.

I don't like that it doesn't have a built-in filter like YouTube TV does. Additionally, YT TV is much more advanced and allows me to search for multiple terms at once.

The homepage has been updated and now looks slightly better than when I last saw it six months ago. By clicking on the Watch Now button, you get access to the top content organized into a horizontal scrolling list. This list has options such as Summer of Soccer, Kids, Trending and Premium Services. The Discover tab is quite similar and you can use it to browse movies, shows, and networks. The guide section is similar, it allows you to navigate through the list at your leisure and view content types such as books, shows and movies. Finally, the My Library section is where your bookmarks and DVR recordings are stored.

Content

Based on my observations, I believe that AT&T Now's design and layout may not be the best, but its content library certainly offers subscribers a lot to enjoy. This is thanks to channels such as CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC which feature popular shows such as The Bachelor, Modern Family and This Is Us. Additionally, NFL Sunday and Thursday Night Football attract the biggest viewership. If you are a sports fan, you can enjoy dedicated sports channels on select packages which include BTN, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, Golf Channel, SEC Network and the Tennis channel. You can also access channels such as BTN, FS1, FS2, TNT and TBS. If that is not enough sports, you can add MLB.TV and NBA League Pass. What I love the most about this service is that you get features such as restart and 72-hour lookback which ensure that you do not miss a beat.

Is AT&T TV NOW available in my area? There are seven content tiers that can be found on AT&T TV NOW: PLUS, MAX, ENTERTAINMENT, CHOICE, XTRA, ULTIMATE, and OPTIMA MAS. Each of these plans come with a different number of channels to choose from- ranging from 24 to 120. Depending on where you live and your viewing needs, one of the content tiers may be a perfect fit for you. For example, I have an $80/month MAX plan with 60+ channels which I find to be perfect for my needs.

Desktop/Mobile experience

Before I even evaluate my desktop and mobile experiences, I would like to share that the AT&T TV Now App does not allow you to live stream NFL. However, that cannot detract from its compatibility. AT&T TV Now is available on a wide range of platforms such as Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast and Roku. Apart from that, you can access it from web browsers such as Chrome and Safari but there is no gaming console support available. Thus, you cannot stream via Xbox or PlayStation.

Lacks 4K Content

Recently, 4K resolution was supported by the concluding FIFA Women's World Cup, making my streaming experience with fuboTV seamless. Whereas AT&T had promised to bring 4K content to its TV Now platform several years ago, that hasn't yet occurred. I find fuboTV to be a better option as it allows me to enjoy 4K resolution.

Not the best App

I tried to use the AT&T TV Now app on my Pixel 3, and I had no problems. The streaming experience was good, but one major problem I faced was that the app crashed a lot. Sometimes it wouldn't even load past the splash screen, which is painfully frustrating.

High-speed network required

Even though there is no 4K content, you still need an internet speed of 7.5Mbps or more for high-quality streams. I have tested the network with 16 and 32GB internet speed and did not face any problem.

DVR capabilities added recently

Though it's a positive step, it took a long time for the DVR function to arrive. And though the DVR function is now available, it's not something to write home about. It allows you to record the content of only up to 20 hours and you can't keep it for more than 30 days. Comparing that to fuboTV or Philo, you'll be disappointed.

Parental control features are limited

Yet again, AT&T TV Now has tried integrating a feature that does not work to its maximum capabilities. Yes, parental control is good but unlike Sling TV, you cannot restrict individual profiles. Thus, you have to adjust these settings frequently and different members of the household won't have the same viewing restrictions. Lastly, your parental control restrictions are just protected via a four-digit passcode, which isn't anything significant in regards to security.

Plans & Pricing

As mentioned earlier, AT&T TV Now has seven plans. PLUS and MAX as featured packages, ENTERTAINMENT, CHOICE, XTRA, ULTIMATE, OPTIMA MAS as other package options. Let's check out each of these plans: The seven plans available with AT&T TV Now are PLUS and MAX as featured packages and ENTERTAINMENT, CHOICE, XTRA, ULTIMATE, OPTIMA MAS as other package options. Let's look at each of these plans in more detail. The PLUS cable package costs $50/month and has 40 channels, including CNBC, CNN, ESPN, Fox Sports, HBO, FX, SYFY, Nickelodeon and TBS.

The cable package costs $70/month and offers all the channels mentioned above. Additionally, it has regional sports networks, CBS Sports Network, Paramount Channel, and Cinemax.

Entertainment costs $93/month and includes HBO, Cinemax, and regional sports channels. The top channels include CNN, ESPN, HGTV, TBS, and Disney Junior.

CHOICE offers a variety of programming, including 85+ channels that include OWN, SCI, Game Show, YES, and The Weather Channel. This service costs $110/month and is available to single-room occupancies.

Extra is a cable package that costs $124/month and features 105+ channels, including FS2, FXM, NBC Golf, SUNDANCE TV and OXYGEN.

The Ultimate streaming service costs $135 per month and offers over 125 channels, including Starz, Univision Deportes, Cheddar, and Destination America.

The OPTIMO MAS package costs $86/month and offers a range of channels, including Univision, Fox Deportes, Cine Estelar, and ESPN Deportes.

Suggestions I have for AT&T TV Now

First, I would like to say that a crashing app is a huge turn-off. Fix that. Stand upon the promise of 4K and don't take forever to deliver it. The stakes are high and the competition is cut-throat, so the longer you take to roll these out, the lesser the audience will stick around. Rebranding hasn't been up to the mark and DVR capabilities are outright frustrating. There's mediocrity in many departments which needs fixing, sooner rather than later.

Conclusion

It's true that AT&T TV Now offers a great value proposition for the sports lover. But think about not being able to stream a major NFL match from your mobile phone? Frustrating, right? I don't have any issues with this service, but the platform and its infrastructure don't really justify its vast content library, which I'm hoping gets fixed in 2020.