Roger Fingas
Taking advantage of the recent approval of its merger with Time Warner, AT&T on Thursday announced WatchTV, a new live TV service premiering next week — and initially tied to two new unlimited wireless data plans.
WatchTV incorporates over 30 channels, among them several under the wing of Time Warner such as CNN, Cartoon Network, TBS, and Turner Classic Movies. Sometime after launch AT&T will grow the lineup to include Comedy Central, Nicktoons, and several other channels.
People will be able to watch on "virtually every current smartphone, tablet, or Web browser," as well as "certain streaming devices." The company didn't immediately specify compatible Apple platforms, but these will presumably include at least the iPhone and iPad, given their popularity and AT&T's long-standing relationship with Apple.
The first data plan is "AT&T Unlimited &More", which will also include $15 in monthly credit towards DirecTV Now. People who pay extra for "&More Premium" will get higher-quality video, 15 gigabytes of tethered data, and the option to add one of several "premium" services at no charge — initial examples include TV channels like HBO or Showtime, and music platforms like Pandora Premium or Amazon Music Unlimited.
&More Premium customers can also choose to apply their $15 credit towards DirecTV or U-verse TV, instead of just DirecTV Now.
WatchTV will at some point be available as a $15-per-month standalone service, but no timeline is available.
AT&T's Time Warner acquisition was worth $85 billion, and strongly opposed in some quarters including by U.S. President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice, the latter of which sued to block the merger. Critics outside the government have worried about the growing hegemony the deal represents in media and communications, since it creates an entity with control over content, distribution, and communications infrastructure.
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11 Comments
They’d have to pay me to watch CNN!
I've been using DirectTV Now w free HBO ($20/month with my ATT mobile plan) since April and quite pleased, especially since they started cloud DVR in beta. So I record Bloomberg Technology each day and fast forward through ads on my iPhone whenever I want. Last night watched 1921 Harold Lloyd silent film on large iPad recorded from TCM 3 am time slot a week ago. You get most sports channels on the simple plan. ESPN ESPN2 TNT etc. So if you're shopping around, you might compare DTV Now to ATT Watch. (Don't know if they still have the free HBO for life offer post merger.)
If Apple starts buying up media companies, consumers will have even more choice. Apple could also buy a cable company to distribute this content exclusively. That way we could all choose the content that is best.
Is their ability to charge extra for “higher-quality video” than you would be allowed to have with their standard so-called “unlimited” plan a result of the repeal of net neutrality? Companies have gone out of their way to claim that it wouldn’t hurt consumers, but it sounds like they might be already exploiting it.