Directv to shift away from Satellite?

[bobvick]

Sounds like your area is following the Chattanooga EPB's lead with fiber gigabit service. Nice. Between rural co-ops, the rollout of T-Mobile's 600 MHz frequency, broadband over TV frequency white spaces, low earth orbit satellite internet (SpaceX, etc.), and maybe AT&T's AirGig technology, the broadband situation in rural America should look a lot better in five years than it does now.

Yeah, some of the DTV Now beta testers have seen channel numbers appear and disappear from the channel guide. There's no reason for the DTV Now app on any current devices -- Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV -- to have channel numbers since none of those devices' remotes have 0-9 keypads. Instead, I'm sure AT&T is just testing the use of numbers because they'll be offered on the upcoming "home-centric" service -- maybe named AT&T TV -- which will come with its own dedicated STB and remote which DOES have a 0-9 keypad. My theory is that DTV Now is for cord-cutters who are already comfortable with streaming apps and devices. AT&T TV will be more for those who want a traditional "cable TV" experience but with some new tech thrown in, like a voice remote and the ability to optionally use apps like Netflix and YouTube on their main cable box. I suspect that AT&T TV will have a more full-featured cloud DVR and offer fatter channel packages too, but the cost will be higher in general than with DTV Now (unless you bundle AT&T TV with AT&T home internet service).

Here's a link to an AT&T STB that passed through the FCC last fall. Based on the model number and some references in the user manual, it would appear that this box will be the successor to the current Genie Mini client for use with D* satellite service. But I suspect that something very similar to it will be used for the "home-centric" OTT service too. In fact, it might make the most sense economically for AT&T to use this exact same box (with different pre-loaded software) for both satellite and OTT customers. That would give them greater economy of scale and simplify operations and support. (In the case of satellite users, the box would have to be paired with a central home server, which contains the actual satellite tuners and DVR hard drive.)

DirecTV to Launch Android TV-Based OTT Set-Top Box (EXCLUSIVE)

I never thought we'd be able to get any decent broadband around here, so maybe there will be more cooperatives and publicly owned utilities that expand fiber to many rural areas throughtout the country.

As for the channel numbers in the 'home centric' service, that's what I was talking about. I had seen the possible client box that you posted the link to.

I can see where you don't need channel numbers with DirecTV Now on a Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, etc...

I was hoping they would come out with something like the client box, I really prefer being able to go to a channel number rather than having to use a guide or go alphabetically.

I do wonder if the price for the 'home centric' service will be the same as DirecTV Now, or if AT&T TV, or whatever they call the service with the client box will use the same pricing structure as the current DirecTV Now, or if it will follow a more traditional pay TV model.

 

[NashGuy]

I do wonder if the price for the 'home centric' service will be the same as DirecTV Now, or if AT&T TV, or whatever they call the service with the client box will use the same pricing structure as the current DirecTV Now, or if it will follow a more traditional pay TV model.

Well, we'll see. At one end of the spectrum of possibilities, AT&T will just brand the "home-centric" service as DirecTV Now and it will be just the same thing that currently exists, except you pay an additional fee to rent (or buy) the optional STBs. At the other end of the spectrum of possibilities, it will be branded and marketed very differently (perhaps as "AT&T TV"). It would have different channel packages, a higher-end feature set (e.g. 4K HDR, a no-compromise cloud DVR with 300 hours storage, etc.), and somewhat higher pricing too. It would be marketed as a next-gen competitor to Comcast X1 and an improvement on the existing D* satellite service. While DTV Now comes at a discount if bundled with AT&T Wireless mobile phone service, AT&T TV would be discounted if bundled with AT&T home internet service. While DTV Now allows for two simultaneous streams across all device types, AT&T TV would only allow viewing on those TVs that have the AT&T-issued STB connected to them; meanwhile, viewing on non-TV screens (phones, tablets) would follow roughly the same use policies for in-home and out-of-home viewing that are in force for the D* mobile app for satellite subscribers. I expect what eventually materializes to be toward the latter end of the spectrum.

From comments that AT&T's CEO has publicly made, I think they realize that the traditional cable TV bundle has to come down in price somewhat if it's going to survive. One way to do that is to offer smaller bundles and cut features, hardware and support; that's the route that the current OTT services like DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, etc. are going. (And keep in mind that those services are barely making any money at this point.) Another way to do that is to make more money off of advertising, through the use of internet-enabled data-rich targeted ads (like Google and Facebook do). Part of that strategy includes directly owning some of the ad-supported channels they carry, e.g. the Turner networks: CNN, TBS, TNT, etc. If AT&T makes more money on advertising, they'll be able to accept lower margins on subscriber fees. So that's a lot of the business strategy behind their acquisition of Time Warner and their move to an internet-based OTT video distribution system for both DirecTV Now and the future "home-centric" service.

Given that AT&T plans to use targeted ads in their "home-centric" service, and also save a lot on customer acquisition costs (i.e. simple self-installed STBs vs. an installer taking hours to do home wiring and installing a rooftop satellite dish), I do expect the overall cost of the service to be less than it is for D* satellite. But I would also expect it to be more than it is for DTV Now.

 

[Pere845]

I

Exactly ... thats what I do every day.

Blame that on the constant surplusing of employees.
We use to have about 60 repair guys, now we have 25-30 if were lucky .... and No, the area we cover has not shrunk ...
Also have to do installs as well as repair, for Pots (the few that are left) internet and Bonded Pr Internet and the still being used U Verse TV service.

They will more than likely get rid of another 5+ this year, they cut 10 last year.

I damn the day they take our pots service and traditional TV. Voip is trash and streaming is not for everyone including me

 

[Pere845]

Looks like I will be returning to dish who obviously still cares about satellite service and keeps sling separate.

 

[Jimbo]

Sudden Movement...fiber doesn't transmit electricity..just light bouncing down a very tiny fibercore..if the fiber quickly moves and sways the light bounces differently and creates issues such as jitter and studder

Sent from my SM-G950U using the SatelliteGuys app!

Buried Fiber doesn't move unless its man made.

 

[Jimbo]

I

I damn the day they take our pots service and traditional TV. Voip is trash and streaming is not for everyone including me

Voip and internet still work of the same lines that U Verse and Pots are working on.

I have had NO Problems at all with Voip service ... I have always been against it as well, till I got experience with it ... if your internet works, the voip works.

 

[Jimbo]

Looks like I will be returning to dish who obviously still cares about satellite service and keeps sling separate.

Do they ?

Sling can be sold off very easily.

 

[Pere845]

Do they ?

Sling can be sold off very easily.

at least Dish is keeping sling seperate while AT&T can't go a day without talking about how D* now is the future...

 

[Jimbo]

at least Dish is keeping sling seperate while AT&T can't go a day without talking about how D* now is the future...

You don't think that DISH is sitting back and watching how this all pans out ?

Dish and D* were talked about merging years back and it didn't happen ... what make you think they will OK it now in this current scenario ? (10 years later and very different situation.)

What difference is there with how Sling and DISH is working ...
Dish could at any moment say, its now Dish/Sling ...
Now they are the same.

 

[navychop]

Buried Fiber doesn't move unless its man made.

The drop from curb to ONT at my house moved/failed, presumably only due to rainwater. Or tree roots.

Mother Nature was blamed.

 

[Pere845]

Voip and internet still work of the same lines that U Verse and Pots are working on.

I have had NO Problems at all with Voip service ... I have always been against it as well, till I got experience with it ... if your internet works, the voip works.

well we tried voip and had to return to centurylink because we didnt get service even after 3 tech visits mind you this was in the city

 

[Pere845]

You don't think that DISH is sitting back and watching how this all pans out ?

Dish and D* were talked about merging years back and it didn't happen ... what make you think they will OK it now in this current scenario ? (10 years later and very different situation.)

What difference is there with how Sling and DISH is working ...
Dish could at any moment say, its now Dish/Sling ...
Now they are the same.

should the pay tv bubble burst and it ends... thats when i will consider streaming

 

[Jimbo]

The drop from curb to ONT at my house moved/failed, presumably only due to rainwater. Or tree roots.

Mother Nature was blamed.

Ok, was it effected by lawn mower or weed wacker or nicked somewhere ?
Are we talking buried or aerial ? (I'm thinking buried)

 

[Jimbo]

should the pay tv bubble burst and it ends... thats when i will consider streaming

Pay TV will never end, you'll just call it by a different name ....

If your Streaming, your still PAYING for your TV.

 

[navychop]

Buried. Much of the run was not under a mowed area. Certainly no weed whackers.

They did not investigate. They replaced and speculated.

 

[Jimbo]

Buried. Much of the run was not under a mowed area. Certainly no weed whackers.

They did not investigate. They replaced and speculated.

Thats good ....
Much better to replace than repair ... regardless of what type of cable it is.

 

[Inclined Orbit]

While I was working for D**, some internal communication/data stuff was transitioned from satellite to fiber and reliability seemed to suffer. Even though there were redundant paths, some fiber would get dug up in the middle of nowhere or a router would crash or something else would take it out. Then they would call and have the old satellite path put online while they figured out or fixed the problem with fiber circuits. Satellite rocks, fiber not so much.

Looks like I will be returning to dish who obviously still cares about satellite service and keeps sling separate.

 

[slice1900]

Buried Fiber doesn't move unless its man made.

Doesn't matter whether it is buried or aerial, fiber "moving" is not an issue. The fiber is a waveguide, it isn't a hollow core for light to travel down - if it was then the fiber would have to be dead straight and you'd need mirrors anytime you wanted it to change direction.

Besides aerial fiber is armored, it isn't going to move much. You need high winds or an earthquake to make it move, but unless it breaks this will cause zero problems.

 

[Juan]

Buried Fiber doesn't move unless its man made.

Earth quake.....highway traffic..floods...

Sent from my SM-G950U using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[Juan]

Doesn't matter whether it is buried or aerial, fiber "moving" is not an issue. The fiber is a waveguide, it isn't a hollow core for light to travel down - if it was then the fiber would have to be dead straight and you'd need mirrors anytime you wanted it to change direction.

Besides aerial fiber is armored, it isn't going to move much. You need high winds or an earthquake to make it move, but unless it breaks this will cause zero problems.

I guess you never worked in a fiber maintenance group..if you stretch or bend a fiber it affects the light traveling through it

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