Rumored DTV Over IP Prices Plus Two New DTV Now Packages

[Claude Greiner]

In order for over the top streaming to be the norm, providers are going to need a set top box to ship to the customer.

I have sold a few Directv now subscriptions from people who are coming from cable.

They do not get the whole download the app, username and password process.

The biggest question while signing them up is where do they get the equipment.

 

[NashGuy]

In order for over the top streaming to be the norm, providers are going to need a set top box to ship to the customer.

I have sold a few Directv now subscriptions from people who are coming from cable.

They do not get the whole download the app, username and password process.

The biggest question while signing them up is where do they get the equipment.

I think it's a generational thing. Younger consumers have no problem with the concept of streaming via apps on their own devices. But you're right that a lot of middle-aged and older folks, if they are to be moved to a cable TV service delivered over the internet, would need a dedicated STB given to them for use with that service. And that's exactly what DirecTV plans to do with their C71 STB. Using that box with the forthcoming streaming DTV service should be a pretty smooth transition for folks coming from satellite-based DTV, or Dish, or Comcast, etc.

 

[george99]

Hopefully they will improve drastically their DTVN streaming app. It is an absolute train wreck. All the other streaming providers apps are infinitely better.

 

[Joe The Dragon]

I think it's a generational thing. Younger consumers have no problem with the concept of streaming via apps on their own devices. But you're right that a lot of middle-aged and older folks, if they are to be moved to a cable TV service delivered over the internet, would need a dedicated STB given to them for use with that service. And that's exactly what DirecTV plans to do with their C71 STB. Using that box with the forthcoming streaming DTV service should be a pretty smooth transition for folks coming from satellite-based DTV, or Dish, or Comcast, etc.

but the cable systems will use caps and others stuff to make there own cable tv system be used over an 3rd party tv service.

 

[CSM]

I can kind of see their strategy. DTV or AT&T TV over IP would be their premium streaming service. DTV Now would be their skinny service. Watch TV would be their low cost service. Then have their Netflix type service with Time Warner. Then eventually get rid of DTV over SatelliteTV and UVerseTV.

I can also see why they would want to have Android TV box with their streaming APP. This way AT&T can always have the latest Android TV on their box. I think with Smart TV's you always need to have the latest Smart TV OS right?

 

[CSM]

Sorry I meant to add to my last post that that in order for you to have the latest version of the AT&T APP you would need to have the latest Smart TV OS?

 

[Jimbo]

Sorry I meant to add to my last post that that in order for you to have the latest version of the AT&T APP you would need to have the latest Smart TV OS?

Why ?
Apps update just like everything else.

 

[NashGuy]

but the cable systems will use caps and others stuff to make there own cable tv system be used over an 3rd party tv service.

Yeah, for households that watch a lot of TV, and also use the internet a lot otherwise, a streaming cable TV service like DirecTV-over-IP or DirecTV Now could mean that they exceed their data cap. But for many folks, it wouldn't be an issue. For years, I've had a 1TB data cap with either Comcast or AT&T (I've used both for home internet) and I've never come close to using half that much data in any month, despite the fact that I stream 85% of the video that I watch. (The rest is OTA TV.) I also stream music, am on the web a lot, and have to upload and download graphics files for work. But I don't do online gaming, I don't download video torrents, and I don't often download huge software updates.

Of course, data caps for DTV-over-IP won't be an issue for those who have AT&T home broadband service because AT&T will waive the data cap if you bundle their TV and internet service. Having a modern, less-expensive-to-install TV platform to offer their home broadband customers is part of the strategy behind this upcoming DTV-over-IP service. I suspect they'll also employ multicast ABR technology on their network and in either their internet gateways or the C71 boxes too, in order to reduce network traffic from popular live TV channels.

Right now, when someone signs up for AT&T Fiber home broadband, they can choose between DTV satellite or the old Uverse TV system (which has been rumored to be on its deathbed for a couple years now). Once the new DTV-over-IP service launches, I suspect it will be the only choice offered for bundling with AT&T Fiber (although perhaps satellite will still be available for installation if the customer insists on it).

AT&T Fiber has really been expanding over the past year or so. My house had been served by what used to be called AT&T Uverse (fiber-to-the-node up the street, then the rest of the way over DSL phone lines) but they converted my street to all fiber last fall. My Mom (in another state) called me yesterday to say that a door-to-door salesman informed her that AT&T Fiber was now available there. (About time, as AT&T never even offered so much as DSL at that location all these years.)

 

[Jimbo]

In order for over the top streaming to be the norm, providers are going to need a set top box to ship to the customer.

I have sold a few Directv now subscriptions from people who are coming from cable.

They do not get the whole download the app, username and password process.

The biggest question while signing them up is where do they get the equipment.

I would like to think that you would just load the IP D* from your Roku or Firestick ...
If it shows up as an option on one of those existing devices, they would get into more homes quicker ...
I don't know if thats possible or not though ...
I know that the Sunday Ticket IS available thru Roku already.

 

[Jimbo]

Yeah, for households that watch a lot of TV, and also use the internet a lot otherwise, a streaming cable TV service like DirecTV-over-IP or DirecTV Now could mean that they exceed their data cap. But for many folks, it wouldn't be an issue. For years, I've had a 1TB data cap with either Comcast or AT&T (I've used both for home internet) and I've never come close to using half that much data in any month, despite the fact that I stream 85% of the video that I watch. (The rest is OTA TV.) I also stream music, am on the web a lot, and have to upload and download graphics files for work. But I don't do online gaming, I don't download video torrents, and I don't often download huge software updates.

Of course, data caps for DTV-over-IP won't be an issue for those who have AT&T home broadband service because AT&T will waive the data cap if you bundle their TV and internet service. Having a modern, less-expensive-to-install TV platform to offer their home broadband customers is part of the strategy behind this upcoming DTV-over-IP service. I suspect they'll also employ multicast ABR technology on their network and in either their internet gateways or the C71 boxes too, in order to reduce network traffic from popular live TV channels.

Right now, when someone signs up for AT&T Fiber home broadband, they can choose between DTV satellite or the old Uverse TV system (which has been rumored to be on its deathbed for a couple years now). Once the new DTV-over-IP service launches, I suspect it will be the only choice offered for bundling with AT&T Fiber (although perhaps satellite will still be available for installation if the customer insists on it).

AT&T Fiber has really been expanding over the past year or so. My house had been served by what used to be called AT&T Uverse (fiber-to-the-node up the street, then the rest of the way over DSL phone lines) but they converted my street to all fiber last fall. My Mom (in another state) called me yesterday to say that a door-to-door salesman informed her that AT&T Fiber was now available there. (About time, as AT&T never even offered so much as DSL at that location all these years.)

Just as a comparison ... My internet provider (probably has a unlimited package which I can't afford) ... my package is 250 .... thats no where near 1TB ...
For these older folks, jumping over to streaming also have to be taught to actually look and see what thier data consumption is and how much they actually use ...

I Do know that if I went to streaming only, I would not have the TV on nearly as much ... point in case being, I have a baseball game on the last few hours, its basically background noise ... I'm not really watching it ... but in the streaming world, I'm USING DATA thats could be needed at the end of the month.

 

[NashGuy]

Just as a comparison ... My internet provider (probably has a unlimited package which I can't afford) ... my package is 250 .... thats no where near 1TB ...
For these older folks, jumping over to streaming also have to be taught to actually look and see what thier data consumption is and how much they actually use ...

I Do know that if I went to streaming only, I would not have the TV on nearly as much ... point in case being, I have a baseball game on the last few hours, its basically background noise ... I'm not really watching it ... but in the streaming world, I'm USING DATA thats could be needed at the end of the month.

Yep, that's true. But I would point out that a 250 MB data cap isn't common. Again, Comcast is either 1 TB or no cap (depending on area) and Charter has no cap. I'm pretty sure that just those two companies combined account for well over half of the country's home broadband (25 Mbps+) connections. AT&T, Verizon, Altice/Optimum, Cox, and CenturyLink together account for almost all the rest and they all have either a 1 TB cap or no cap.

Frustrated with Data Caps? Find Out Which Providers Limit Your Data and Why | CableTV.com

 

[Jimbo]

Yep, that's true. But I would point out that a 250 MB data cap isn't common. Again, Comcast is either 1 TB or no cap (depending on area) and Charter has no cap. I'm pretty sure that just those two companies combined account for well over half of the country's home broadband (25 Mbps+) connections. AT&T, Verizon, Altice/Optimum, Cox, and CenturyLink together account for almost all the rest and they all have either a 1 TB cap or no cap.

Frustrated with Data Caps? Find Out Which Providers Limit Your Data and Why | CableTV.com

I stream now, but its not all the time, I use Netflix and AP, I never think about my data usage at all on my home set up, I know that I am no where near the 250 ...
However, if I streamed all the time, would I be going over or even close ? I have no idea.

Q. If I am using Netflix for example and finish my show and I just flip back to D* ... am I still using Streaming Data from Netflix if I don't go back to the HOME button of Netflix ?

 

[CSM]

Why ?
Apps update just like everything else.

When I looked up DTV Now in the Google Play Store it says It needs Android 5.0. Also what happens when the TV maker stops updating the OS on older TV's?

 

[NashGuy]

I stream now, but its not all the time, I use Netflix and AP, I never think about my data usage at all on my home set up, I know that I am no where near the 250 ...
However, if I streamed all the time, would I be going over or even close ? I have no idea.

Q. If I am using Netflix for example and finish my show and I just flip back to D* ... am I still using Streaming Data from Netflix if I don't go back to the HOME button of Netflix ?

I probably stream an average of 3 hrs of TV every day (maybe less in summer?), some of that's 1080p HD and some is 4K HDR. Besides that, I stream some music, surf the web, etc. And my data usage tends to be in the 300 - 400 GB range per month.

In any app, such as Netflix, you are no longer eating up data from video streaming from that service when you do any of the following:

• pause the video
• jump out of the video back to the app's menu screen
• close the app
• switch from that app to a different app
• put the streaming device to sleep or power it off

Basically, if you don't see moving video (or a spinning buffering symbol) on your screen from a particular app, then it's not eating up your data. (That said, apps may automatically update their software in the background even when you're not using them and that would use a little bit of data.)

 

[NashGuy]

Here's a thought that struck me this afternoon:

HBO is obviously the crown jewel in AT&T's entertainment division. They're going to build the upcoming WarnerMedia on-demand streaming service (their competitor to Netflix) with HBO content as its centerpiece, supplemented by content from Turner and library movies and shows from Warner Bros.

Then I thought about how they are restructuring the DTV Now packages so that they automatically include HBO, as well as all of the lesser AT&T-owned cable nets. There's no way to NOT have HBO if you sign up for DTV Now going forward. AT&T obviously wants to maximize distribution of HBO.

So what are the chances that we see the channel packages in the main DTV service -- both over satellite and soon over the internet -- get shaken up a bit so that they ALL also include HBO (and all the other AT&T channels, except their RSNs)? At this point, I'd be a bit surprised if they DON'T do that. They could cut out a few non-AT&T-owned channels from each package and instead include HBO and keep the same prices.

While I'm imagining future scenarios, how about this: once the new WarnerMedia SVOD service debuts -- let's call it "HBO Extra" -- its new app will replace both HBO Go and HBO Now. AT&T has said the new SVOD will have three tiers. Maybe anyone can install HBO Extra and watch a selection of lower-value content -- a rotating selection of old WB films and TV series for free, with targeted ads (supplied by AT&T's Xander platform, of course). It could also offer free samples (first episodes, etc.) of new high-value content. Maybe even they'll throw in their Audience network and one or two live CNN newscasts per day on this free tier. This will be their answer to other free ad-supported streaming, e.g. Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel, etc.

The second tier of content in this new app will simply be everything you currently get in the HBO Go and HBO Now apps. You can subscribe directly inside this app (like HBO Now) or you could log in with your cable/sat credentials (like HBO Go) in order to unlock this paid HBO tier.

The third tier of content will include current and past seasons of shows from TBS, TNT and TruTV, as well as a rotating library of Warner Bros. TV shows (e.g. Friends, Shameless, Gotham) and movies (not currently on HBO), plus a bit of original content exclusive to this tier, all ad-free. Maybe it will even include some stuff they license from other companies and/or current and past Cinemax original series. To get access to all three tiers will cost a bit more than a regular HBO subscription; the upcharge ($5?) could be added within the app itself or paid through the same MVPD where you pay for HBO.

I absolutely expect that the HBO Extra app will be developed and featured in the new C71 box used by streaming DTV subscribers. If it's possible, we might also see the app deployed to recent model Genie boxes used by DTV satellite too. (And, of course, all the other popular platforms, like Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, iOS, Android, etc.)

 

[bobvick]

Just as a comparison ... My internet provider (probably has a unlimited package which I can't afford) ... my package is 250 .... thats no where near 1TB ...
For these older folks, jumping over to streaming also have to be taught to actually look and see what thier data consumption is and how much they actually use ...

I Do know that if I went to streaming only, I would not have the TV on nearly as much ... point in case being, I have a baseball game on the last few hours, its basically background noise ... I'm not really watching it ... but in the streaming world, I'm USING DATA thats could be needed at the end of the month.

That is one thing I LOVE about my provider, our local electric cooperative, they have no data caps, and ENCOURAGE customers to stream. They even do seminars about every quarter in different locations around the county to help people learn how to stream, that do not know how. I have even heard of them sending out a tech to help someone that is having problems setting up or using a streaming device on occasion.


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[NashGuy]

Press release confirming the two new DTV Now packages has been posted by AT&T:
AT&T’s new DIRECTV NOW video packages include HBO

The changes will take effect, tomorrow, Mar. 13.

Interestingly, the release finishes with the line, "At launch, more details on DIRECTV NOW PLUS and MAX and other video entertainment choices we offer will be available." The phrase "other video entertainment choices" is linked to this page for ordering DirecTV: https://www.att.com/buy/directv.

So maybe we'll see the debut of the new streaming version of DirecTV tomorrow also.

 

[CSM]

John Stephens comments from a new investor meeting.

AT&T: Phase Out of Legacy DirecTV to Begin with AT&T Osprey STB - Telecompetitor

 

[Jimbo]

John Stephens comments from a new investor meeting.

AT&T: Phase Out of Legacy DirecTV to Begin with AT&T Osprey STB - Telecompetitor

Heres one thing I see from this article:

Several times in his talk at the conference, Stephens spoke of AT&T’s plan to use advertising to enable the company to offer video services at prices customers are willing to pay and that also provide AT&T and content providers with the margins that they expect.

At the same time, ATT has already raised the price of D* Now twice and I believe another soon (by a whooping $10) ....

 

[RobertSM]

So Directv isn’t just releasing an App you can download on an Apple TV/Roku etc for Dtv over Ip, they’re making you get a little box?

Damn. Why not just release an App like they did for directv now?


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