atttvnow.com
With the growing number of streaming services, ditching your cable has never been easier. With the rise of online streaming services, telco giants are expanding their reach in the television and entertainment sector. AT&T is one of the most popular telecom companies in the US which now owns one of the most popular television service networks in DirecTV. To exert its influence and make viewers more synonymous with their ownership, DirecTV Now has been rebranded to AT&T TV Now.
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 United States - with DirecTV Now as its digital extension. By rebranding DirecTV Now, AT&T is slowly making its intentions clear.
History
AT&T TV Now is structured as a bundle of channels, with no ads and a low monthly price
In June of 2018, AT&T TV Now was first made available. It was a skinny bundle with no local or sports channels. Just one year later, on August 1st of 2019, they began to offer a different service called AT&T TV. This is a contract-based service that uses set-top boxes that are Android-based. It is replacing the old AT&T U-Verse TV in the areas it was offered before.
Design
However, I cannot ignore the fact that AT&T TV Now is not as aesthetically appealing as its competitors.
While the design may not be up to par with some of its more elegant counterparts, AT&T TV Now functions adequately. I did not experience any glitches or stutters when navigating the website. However, the lack of an attractive design does detract from its overall appeal.
You will find a top navigation menu comprising of five options - Packages, Extras, Ways to Watch, Us vs Them and FAQ. In addition to this, 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 basic, there is nothing exceptional about it.
I don't like that the app doesn't have a filter option. I also don't like that it's not as advanced as YouTube TV.
The homepage has been updated and now looks slightly better than when I last saw it 6 months ago. By clicking on the "Watch Now" button, you get access to the top content organized in 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 manually through the list and the content type. And finally, the My Library section is where your bookmarks and DVR recordings are stored.
Content
In my opinion, the design and layout of AT&T Now?s content library might not be the best, but its content is definitely worth watching. It has plenty of channels such as CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, which feature popular shows such as ?The Bachelor?, ?Modern Family? and ?This Is Us?. Additionally, fans of NFL football and Thursday Night Football will love AT&T Now.
If you're a sports fan, there are many dedicated sports channels to choose from on select packages. These 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's not enough sports for you, you can add MLB.TV and NBA League Pass. What I love about this service is that you get features like restart and 72-hour lookback so you don't miss a beat.
Compared to other plans like $30/month ENTERTAINMENT or $40/month CHOICE, the MAX plan has more channels and is a better value.
AT&T TV NOW offers seven different content tiers, PLUS and MAX featured packages, and ENTERTAINMENT, CHOICE, XTRA, ULTIMATE, OPTIMA MAS other package options. Each of these plans comes with a specific number of channels tailored to meet your viewing needs. I have an $80/month MAX plan which includes 60+ channels. I think this plan is great because it has premium content from networks such as STARZ, HBO, SHOWTIME, EPIX, and CINEMAX. On the other hand, compared to other plans like $30/month ENTERTAINMENT or $40/month CHOICE, the MAX plan costs less.
Desktop/Mobile experience
I was disappointed to find out that the AT&T TV Now App doesn't allow you to live stream NFL games. However, that shouldn't take away from its compatibility. AT&T TV Now is available on a wide range of platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast and Roku. Furthermore, you can access it from web browsers such as Chrome and Safari, but there is no gaming console support available. Thus, you can't streamNFL games via Xbox or PlayStation.
Lacks 4K Content
I'm disappointed to report that AT&T hasn't fulfilled its promise of bringing 4K content to its TV Now platform. This is a huge omission, especially given that the recently concluded FIFA Women's World Cup supported 4K resolution beautifully. I'm switching to FuboTV for my streaming needs from now on--it offers the best experience in terms of 4K content availability.
Not the best App
I tried using AT&T TV Now?s app on my Pixel 3 and 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, so that's excruciatingly frustrating.
High-speed network required
Even though there's no 4K content, you still need an internet speed of 7.5Mbps or more for high-quality streams. I've tested the network with 16 and 32GB internet speed and didn't face any problem.
DVR capabilities added recently
Despite being a positive step, it took a long time for the DVR function to arrive. And though the DVR now available, it's not something to write home about. It allows users to record the content of only up to 20 hours and can last for only 30 days. In comparison, fuboTV or Philo offer more features and are more affordable.
Parental control features are limited
Yet again, AT&T has tried integrating a feature that doesn't work to its full potential. 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 by a four-digit passcode, which isn't anything significant in regards to security.
Plans & Pricing
AT&T TV Now has seven plans, PLUS and MAX as featured packages, and ENTERTAINMENT, CHOICE, XTRA, ULTIMATE, OPTIMA MAS as other package options. Let's check out each of these plans.
The PLUS TV package costs $50 per month and includes 40 channels, including CNBC, CNN, ESPN, Fox Sports, HBO, FX, SYFY, Nickelodeon and TBS.
MAX: Costs $70/month and includes all of the channels mentioned above, along with regional sports networks, CBS Sports Network, and Paramount, to name a few.
Entertainment costs $93/month and does not include HBO, Cinemax, and regional sports channels. Some of the top channels include CNN, ESPN, HGTV, TBS, and Disney Junior.
CHOICE: The best cable TV service costs $110/month and offers a wide range of channels, including OWN, SCI, Game Show, YES, and The Weather Channel.
Extra costs $124/month and features 105+ channels, including FS2, FXM, NBC Golf, SUNDANCE TV, and OXYGEN.
You can get the ULTIMATE cable plan for 135/month, which includes 125+ channels such as STARZ, Univision Deportes, Cheddar, and Destination America.
The Optimo Mas is a cable package that costs $86/month and includes 90+ 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. Secondly, I would like to ask that you fix that. Thirdly, I believe that the stakes are high and the competition is cut-throat, so it is important that you roll these out as soon as possible. Fourthly, rebranding hasn't been up to the mark and DVR capabilities are outright frustrating. Fifthly, there is mediocrity in many departments which needs fixing, sooner rather than later.
Conclusion
Some people might be frustrated with AT&T TV Now because they can't stream big NFL games from their mobile phones. However, I don't have any issues with the service and I'm hoping things will get better in 2020.
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