AT&T Announces City-Specific Offers for Free DirecTV Now, Internet, and BOGO iPhones

[deeddawg]

I'm not really sure why these new internet TV services charge based on the number of hours that they let you record.

Mostly (I surmise) because pricing strategies for differentiated (non-commodity) products are typically based on the customer's perceived value. i.e. Smart companies price things at the level they think people will pay for them. The underlying costs aren't really relevant except when they're too high to make it feasible to sell the product at all. Competition between companies affects perceived value of course (why pay $10 for ABC brand when XYZ brand is just as good and costs $8), as does availability of alternatives (that beer in your fridge at home does you no good sitting in the sun at a July afternoon baseball game).

it makes no sense to charge users different prices for different tiers of DVR storage. This is just free money for the streaming TV service.

You just answered your own question.

 

[BuffaloTF]

Here comes the DirectTV Now haters! Please do tell us how you feel about the service, the interface, lack of DVR and when you canceled your account.

I genuinely like the service. DVR would be great... but, Hulu and the stations Apps operate as a DVR tho sometimes on a delay... I'm hoping they announce some timing for their 4K additions though, so I can decide whether to dump Directv-proper or not... I may only have 3 channels, but I kinda like em.

 

[Brandonjr36]

I wonder if there going to automatically update us current plus users to the new one. If not I also wonder if I change my plan will it mess with directv credit or my buy one get one iPhones.

 

[sirozha]

I genuinely like the service. DVR would be great... but, Hulu and the stations Apps operate as a DVR tho sometimes on a delay... I'm hoping they announce some timing for their 4K additions though, so I can decide whether to dump Directv-proper or not... I may only have 3 channels, but I kinda like em.

Hulu has live TV now and you can watch it live or you can rewind all the way to the beginning of the episode in progress and then fast-forward through commercials. Hulu also has a DVR feature.

The Hulu interface is too convoluted, though, and the TV guide is very limited (only to a few hours ahead) and way too weird. The streaming video quite is very good. They are slowly migrating channels to 60 fps. I watched the Olympics at 60 fps on Hulu. All the channels that Olympics were on streamed at 60 fps. I still have 200 hours worth of DVR recordings of the Olympics that I haven't watched yet, and all of it at 60 fps.

 

[deeddawg]

I wonder if there going to automatically update us current plus users to the new one.

Unlikely. I've been with AT&T for many years and never have they updated my plan without me specifically requesting it. Why would they? I'm sure AT&T is happy to keep collecting extra money from uninformed customers.

If not I also wonder if I change my plan will it mess with directv credit or my buy one get one iPhones.

Don't know, but I suspect it should not since the DTV credit ought to be tied to the DTV service; i.e. you get a DTV discount for having an AT&T account at a certain level, and I'd think that should stay in place so long as you keep your AT&T account at or above that level. YMMV though, what I wrote is just conjecture.
[doublepost=1519907349][/doublepost]

not sure what happens with the $115 family unlimited, if it's mentioned I missed it

Those sneaky bastards.

Just looked at the new Unlimited Plus Enhanced plan in comparison to the previous Unlimited Plus plan.

The price of the multi-line dropped from $115 to $110, and there's now a $20 discount for four lines.

However, the per-line access charge jumped to $30/line from $20/line. Net effect is this "deal" is a price-jump of $15/mo vs the non-enhanced when it all shakes out, before taxes and fees and other bullcrap.

Guess I'll stick with my old 20GB Mobileshare as there's no reason to effectively spend $40/mo more when we never go over our 20GB cap. (Base cost is $60/mo more, but I'd get $15/mo savings on DTVN and save the $5/mo I pay for HBO on DTVN, making the net difference $40/mo)

 

[BuffaloTF]

Hulu has live TV now and you can watch it live or you can rewind all the way to the beginning of the episode in progress and then fast-forward through commercials. Hulu also has a DVR feature.

The Hulu interface is too convoluted, though, and the TV guide is very limited (only to a few hours ahead) and way too weird. The streaming video quite is very good. They are slowly migrating channels to 60 fps. I watched the Olympics at 60 fps on Hulu. All the channels that Olympics were on streamed at 60 fps. I still have 200 hours worth of DVR recordings of the Olympics that I haven't watched yet, and all of it at 60 fps.

Yeah, and the cost for Hulu is pretty sweet and I am a commercial free subscriber to the traditional service... but their channel list lacks Viacom and I have children

 

[Mlrollin91]

AT&T Unlimited Plus Enhanced is NOT cheaper than Unlimited Plus.

3 Lines with Unlimited Plus is 175 + tax. (115 + 20x3) lines. Minus $10 for autopay (if you use that).
3 Lines with Unlimited Plus Enhances is 190 + tax (100 + 30x3) lines. Minus $20 for autopay.

They are advertising that its $170 for me, but thats AFTER the credit. In reality is $5 more a month if both plans are on auto-pay. If neither are on autopay, its $15 more a month.

I knew it was too good to be true, 5GB more hotspot and $5 less a month.
Of course the AT&T rep was worthless and I had to figure this out on my own.

 

[b11051973]

I asked the question above. Did the old plan get a $25/month credit and that is dropping to $15? That would wipe out the significance of the $10 reduction of price of the $90 plan.

I just changed to the new $80 plan. I guess I'll find out if my DirecTV discount goes down to $25. I figure even if it does, I'm paying the same, and getting 5GB more hotspot data. Dumb thing there is I almost never use hotspot data.

 

[deeddawg]

AT&T Unlimited Plus Enhanced is NOT cheaper than Unlimited Plus.

Yep. They didn't mention in the announcements that the per-line charges went up 50% (20->30) which more than offsets the savings.

Typical though so I'm not exactly surprised.

 

[DocMultimedia]

You can change the output source by holding down the "play/pause" button on your Apple TV remote for a few seconds, which brings up a menu from which you can choose the output source. I think you may have to do this on the main screen where all apps are listed, though.

Nice shortcut, didn't know about that one. I use Siri and say "open audio preferences" as my shortcut. That one works from anywhere.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Yep. They didn't mention in the announcements that the per-line charges went up 50% (20->30) which more than offsets the savings.

Typical though so I'm not exactly surprised.

I have spent 45 minutes scouring the website for the terms in conditions about the $20 autopay discount, and how it is factored into the $170 price already. There is no *, there is no superscripted number - nothing. Even under the pop-up "all legal stuff" its no where to be seen.

I will be contacting AT&T legal when I get some free time. Because its misrepresentation and fraud. I almost switched to the Enhanced from the Plus and would have lost my grandfathered plan as they no longer offer the non-enhanced version.

 

[HueBon]

I have spent 45 minutes scouring the website for the terms in conditions about the $20 autopay discount, and how it is factored into the $170 price already. There is no *, there is no superscripted number - nothing. Even under the pop-up "all legal stuff" its no where to be seen.

I will be contacting AT&T legal when I get some free time. Because its misrepresentation and fraud. I almost switched to the Enhanced from the Plus and would have lost my grandfathered plan as they no longer offer the non-enhanced version.

It does say on the site in small print at the very bottom, lines 1-4 will be $48, lines 5 and above $30. Confirming with a rep, pretending to be a new customer confirmed this.

Staying on Plus plan, enhanced would have cost me way more.

 

[Mlrollin91]

It does say on the site in small print at the very bottom, lines 1-4 will be $48, lines 5 and above $30. Confirming with a rep, pretending to be a new customer confirmed this.

Staying on Plus plan, enhanced would have cost me way more.

That has nothing to do with the $20 autopay credit. Its no where mentioned that that is factored already in the price. The rep told me it was $170 - $20, which is wrong. It is $190 - $20.

 

[deeddawg]

That has nothing to do with the $20 autopay credit. Its no where mentioned that that is factored already in the price. The rep told me it was $170 - $20, which is wrong. It is $190 - $20.

Mocking up a new two-line plan I see the attached which seems to make clear the $170 total less $20 autopay/paperless discount.
[doublepost=1519930936][/doublepost]Shifting up to a four line plan they add another $20 discount.

Still, the whole quiet $20/line to $30/line change kills the deal IMHO.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Mocking up a new two-line plan I see the attached which seems to make clear the $170 total less $20 autopay/paperless discount.
[doublepost=1519930936][/doublepost]Shifting up to a four line plan they add another $20 discount.

Still, the whole quiet $20/line to $30/line change kills the deal IMHO.

Looks like they are updating the website as the day goes along. That was not there 3 hours ago.

 

[deeddawg]

Looks like they are updating the website as the day goes along. That was not there 3 hours ago.

Par for the course, AT&T is pretty bad at having their marketing materials updated at the time of a new/change plan.

 

[noximure]

Yes, I'll let everyone know.

The two customer service reps I spoke with

Yes, I'll let everyone know.

Spoke with 3 AT&T reps and all were clueless about the new plans. Long story short, not giving me the $10 discount to match current unlimited data plan offer at $80

 

[christophermn]

Could you let us know if you're able to score the lower monthly rate and keep existing $25 DTVNow monthly credit? Otherwise this is zero-sum for a lot of existing customers... and probably planned that way.

I guess this answers my question.

 

[Fm815]

smh the NY free year of Directv Now deal involves adding a new line ...usual at&t. Give you a $35 a month credit if you add a $30(plus tax) a month line.

 

[deeddawg]

As usual:

The big print giveth, while the small print taketh away.