Q. You’ve written a lot about AT&T’s plans for DIRECTV, but what about U-verse? Are they going to keep it going or do they plan to shut it down? — Rita, Clemson, South Carolina.
Rita, the AT&T-owned U-verse will celebrate its 14th anniversary this June, but I would be surprised if it turns 15. Let me explain.
AT&T has declared that its new Internet-based TV service, AT&T TV, is now its primary video service, eclipsing even DIRECTV which still has roughly 16 million subscribers. AT&T TV delivers programming packages similar to DIRECTV (although identical; see this article), but it does not require a dish or satellite receiver. Instead, AT&T sends you a company-branded set-top that delivers the signals to your TV over your Internet service.
Update: AT&T Stops Selling U-verse TV.
AT&T officials have said that DIRECTV will now be marketed primarily in rural areas where high-speed Internet access is limited.
So if AT&T is willing to start treating DIRECTV like the ugly stepsister, what does that mean for U-verse, which has only four million subscribers?
Well, for starters, AT&T has stopped taking online orders for U-verse. (It’s still taking online orders for DIRECTV.) When you go to AT&T’s U-verse web page, you’re told that “U-verse TV is now available only by phone.”
And from there it gets worse.
AT&T’s U-verse page — yes, the page supposedly dedicated to promoting U-verse — features large picture of the AT&T TV set-top, accompanied by several bullet points on why you should get AT&T TV. And underneath the picture is a large graph detailing all the ways that AT&T TV is ‘better’ than U-verse!
I can’t recall ever seeing a company trash its own product on its own web site. Simply amazing.
Rita, I think you’ll see AT&T start offering U-verse subscribers incentives to switch to AT&T TV in the coming months, perhaps beginning when the Coronavirus outbreak has subsided. Then, sometime next year, the company will shut down U-verse entirely, offering its customers AT&T TV as an alternative.
Rita, hope that answers your question. Happy viewing, and stay well!
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Some features “sound” good, 500 Hrs of DVR, Unlimited recordings at the SAME time.
But what about the number of TV’S you can have ?
Is there a charge for additional TV’S ?
What Packages does AT&T TV have ?
They do NOT mention the “SELECT” Package. (The Popular NO sports package)
Did they DROP the “CONTRACT” ?
Can you use “Anyone’s” Internet (like Comcast, Spectrum, etc.)
or do you have to Use AT&T’s FIBER Internet or U-Verse internet ?
If you can Only use AT&T’s U-Verse Internet,
will it still have PIXILATING and FREEZING ?
Many people DON’T realize there is a “DISTANCE” issue from the “Neighborhood” U-Verse BOX
I think that is why AT&T wants to Drop U-Verse TV
AT&T Internet bundles are available in 21 states, but are not required.
I am confused on whether i should stay with uverse or switch to spectrum?
All i want is internet and tv. Is that possible.
I do not see that I can get my LOCAL channels (abc, nbc, cbs) for news, weather, etc with the new ATT TV package. That’s a no go for me.
offering internet only tv is a bad mistake. Not everyone can do it, so offering internet, or fiber/cable options are the sensible decision. If you want only a portion of the tv viewing customers then sure, cut out the rest of them. Me. I love my uverse thru fiber optic cable and if necessary will jump ship to either xfinity or spectrum, No way will I go to streaming. So they will lose me….not convert me.