AT&T offers a Direct TV package of $200

Now that their merger has government approval AT&T and DirecTV are rolling out a new all-in-one TV and wireless bundle.

Now AT&T is the largest pay TV operator in the world and this is going to become first company, which will bundle cellular to the other services like TV. Existing DirecTV customers may want to take advantage of the company’s new ownership, too; AT&T is offering a $300 credit to those who switch from another carrier and trade in their phone for a new one on AT&T Next.

The speed and positioning of the move indicates how keen AT&T is to capitalise on the competitive window it acquired with the $50 billion it paid for DirecTV.

Immediately after signing up for the service, subscribers will be able to begin watching television programming via a DirecTV app on their computers, tablets and smartphones and won’t be required to wait for their television service to be installed. It’s typically a variety of what consumers have already been viewing on regular TVs and that’s most probably because of strict rights by content owners.

Roger Entner, an analyst at Recon Analytics, said TV as a stand-alone business is dead, as consumers see TV as part of their overall media and telecommunications experience. About the new package, he said: “It’s a beginning, but an important beginning”. The company is extending that $10-a-month discount to customers of either U-verse or DirecTV. But U-verse is only available in a limited number of markets, so having DirecTV lets AT&T pitch TV/phone/Internet packages to a greater number of households.

Under the $200 a month plan, customers new to DirecTV or AT&T’s U-verse TV can get high definition and DVR service for up to four television receivers, along with unlimited talk and text for four up to wireless lines. Four lines with 40 gigabytes will cost $120 a month. And yes, you can bolt on internet access – promo pricing for that ranges between $30 to $50 per month for the first year.