DIRECTV NOW Will Give Cord-Cutters Another Option

CBS also has its own streaming service it wants you to pay for. It’s an unfair advantage for DirecTV Now, since it could easily sway AT&T subscribers away from Sling and Vue (and there’s not much those services can do about it).

The service, which was first announced in March with few details, will be available on internet-connected devices including smartphones, laptops, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

But as we found out at the launch event in NY on Monday, DirectTV Now has a lot of caveats.

For US$35, users can get more than 60 channels, around 80 channels for $50, about 100 for $60, and more than 120 for $70.

Other similar services already exists in the market, including Dish Network Corp that offers 31 channels for $20 per month ranging to $75 per month for up to 100 channels. Channels include CNN, ESPN, Disney Channel, TBS, TNT, FOX, Fox Business News and Turner Classic Movies. All major entertainment giants, with the exception of CBS and Showtime, have deals to be included.

AT&T is also throwing its mobile customers a bone. National Football League content will still be available on the games broadcast on NBC, Fox, and ESPN. AT&T also plans to add original programming down the line, including a Taylor Swift series, so a slight price increase could occur when originals hit the scene.

Here’s the rundown: The service will work a lot like Netflix in that it will enable subscribers to stream from a mobile device or set-top box. If DirecTV Now is successful, the company plans to use the online format as its primary platform for new TV customers in the next three to five years.

Over time, the service tracks users viewing habits and provides recommendations on shows to watch.

For now, DirecTV Now subscribers will be able to catch up on TV shows they missed in the past 72 hours.

The bundle is AT&T’s bid to compete not only with rival cable providers but also live online TV upstarts like Sling TV, Playstation Vue and a forthcoming service from Hulu.

With DirecTV Now, AT&T isn’t trying to sell just an OTT service, but a package of services.

As parg of the deal, Swift will also headline the DIRECTV Super Saturday Night in Houston on February 4, the night before the Big Game.

“It’s really important to understand, this is the foundation for how we’re going to do things in the future”, said AT&T Entertainment CEO John Stankey.

CBS and Showtime are not now part of the service.

Customers that sign up for DirecTV Now also have the ability to add select channels to their service. There’s been no ideal solution that lets you pick only your favorite channels for a reasonable price, a vision of TV nirvana known as “a la carte” that has failed to materialize because it undermines the business models of entertainment conglomerates.

Join the PC World newsletter!