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

[MacRumors]

AT&T today announced a series of deals launching this Thursday, March 1 that will be available only for customers in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The offers vary from city to city, and the carrier noted that each one will last for a "limited time" only.

The city-specific deals are debuting alongside the launch of AT&T's new Unlimited Plus Enhanced and Unlimited Choice Enhanced plans, and most of them tie in with the new plans. Users everywhere in the United States will be able to sign up for one of the new Unlimited plans, but AT&T is launching offers for three select cities -- "tailored" to its customers in each -- as a way to encourage sign ups for the plans in these locations.

AT&T detailed some information on each plan, seen in the quote below, and there's a new support article on ATT.com with a deeper breakdown. One of the major new updates comes to the Unlimited Plus plan, which is $80 for the first line, down from the current price of $90, and now comes with 15GB of hotspot data, an increase from 10GB. The carrier is also offering a $15 loyalty video credit applicable to DirecTV, U-Verse, or DirecTV Now.

On AT&T Unlimited Plus Enhanced the first line starts at only $80, and you'll get 15GB of mobile hotspot data per line on the plan. And on AT&T Unlimited Choice Enhanced unlimited 4G LTE data is only $40 a line when you have 4 lines.

These enhanced wireless plans come with a $15 loyalty credit towards applicable AT&T video services

Regarding the city-specific offers, New York users will get one year of DirecTV Now for free when switching to either of the new Unlimited plans. The offer is valid for both new and existing DirecTV Now customers and will be given in the form of a $35/month video credit over the course of 12 months, which pays entirely for DirecTV Now's basic "Live a Little" package. If users want more channels, they can switch to a larger package and put the $35 credit towards it.

As usual, the credits will start within two bill cycles, and New York users will automatically be charged at full price when DirecTV Now renews after one year, but they can cancel beforehand. AT&T is also still offering new DirecTV Now customers a chance to get a 32GB Apple TV 4K at no cost when they prepay for three months of DirecTV Now at $105.

In Chicago, those who switch from any wireless competitor to one of AT&T's new Unlimited plans will get free home internet on plans up to 50 Mbps "for life." Similar to the New York offer, this will come in the form of a $30 monthly internet credit to pay for a 50 Mbps plan, which can be applied to a higher speed internet tier if desired. The "for life" qualification pertains to users who maintain a qualifying service on AT&T's new Unlimited plan, alongside a matching eligible service address in Chicago.

Lastly, those in Los Angeles will have a more traditional buy one, get one offer on "the latest smartphones," including iPhone X. AT&T said that Los Angeles residents can purchase a 64GB iPhone X and get another for free when both are purchased on AT&T Next, and a new line is added with eligible wireless service.

AT&T's description for each offer notes that more details will be coming soon at ATT.com. If you want to read more of the fine print for each city's deal, head over to the press release and scroll down to the bottom. For more discounts and offers, visit our full Deals Roundup.

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

 

[ayale99]

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.

 

[sirozha]

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 feel good about the service. I subscribed to watch the Olympics, and the quality was good. The lack of DVR made me cancel the service (within a free 7-day trial period), and I switched to Hulu TV, which has a cloud DVR.

Once DirectTV Now gets DVR, I may consider getting it if I can switch to AT&T Gibabit Fiber service at the new house.

 

[b11051973]

It mentions the cell plan went from $90 to $80.

It also mentions a $15 credit to DirecTV. I know there is an existing credit. Is it currently $15 or is that changing too?

 

[DocMultimedia]

I'm on the beta program for DirecTV Now, where the DVR service is up and running (although it is beta...so still has some issues). I'm wondering how much they are going to charge for the DVR. In the beta program you can store up to 20 hours of content.

 

[tkukoc]

Wish they'd just offer this with anyone who's on ATT period... regardless of which plan. Obviously not going to happen but that would have been really nice. I use DirectTV currently just because of the free AppleTV offer. Then I'll switch back to sling, only because it's cheaper and I don't watch much live tv these days.

 

[earthTOmitchel]

I'm on the beta program for DirecTV Now, where the DVR service is up and running (although it is beta...so still has some issues). I'm wondering how much they are going to charge for the DVR. In the beta program you can store up to 20 hours of content.

How's reliability been for you regarding the DVR? I'm on beta as well, and while watching shows has been mostly okay, actually navigating around menus has been pretty laggy and sometimes just broken. I'm still mostly positive that it'll be a nice DVR experience once it's out for everyone.

 

[dtrj787]

How's reliability been for you regarding the DVR? I'm on beta as well, and while watching shows has been mostly okay, actually navigating around menus has been pretty laggy and sometimes just broken. I'm still mostly positive that it'll be a nice DVR experience once it's out for everyone.

I signed up to get the AppleTV 4K for $100, but was interested in the service due to the fact is has most channels that other "cord cutting" services do not have, like MTV & VH1. I launched the app and the picture quality looks good on my 50mbps connection. It would save me money to switch permanently, but I need DVR. I could drop my cable tv service and up my internet speed and still save money. Hopefully they launch the service before my 3 months are up.

 

[ck2875]

How's reliability been for you regarding the DVR? I'm on beta as well, and while watching shows has been mostly okay, actually navigating around menus has been pretty laggy and sometimes just broken. I'm still mostly positive that it'll be a nice DVR experience once it's out for everyone.

Reliability for me has been fine, minus the email they sent a couple of weeks ago saying they needed to erase all of my DVR recordings due to an issue. The main complaint I have is how frequently you encounter the "fast forward is disabled for this program" when trying to use it. There isn't much benefit to having a DVR if you're unable to skip commercials or just go to the point in time you want to watch.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

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.

So I'm curious as to whether there is difference in your view between a customer, or former customer, that legitimately offers constructive criticism of the interface, reliability of the service as they received it, or lack of features compared to other streaming services and that of one who just makes ad hominem attacks.

I ask because the way you phrased your remark it doesn't sound like you have any latitude for any kind of critiquing at all.

 

[green94]

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.

Sure, i'll start. I've had it for a year, put up with 6 months of issues, they finally seemed to iron some of those issues out but a compressed signal would pop in and out too often. 100+ channels and free HBO were really nice, but in the end, the wife couldn't deal with not being able to watch certain shows on demand because it just wouldn't work.

Cancelled and signed up for Youtube TV a month ago and haven't had any issues. Less channels sucks but the service has been outstanding.

I gave DTVNow a year, more than enough time for them to get their sh*t together with a hardwired connection no less, but all of the issues just didn't seem worth it.

 

[theheadguy]

Anybody else think the naming convention is getting a little ridiculous? I'd be embarrassed if I was in marketing and that was my work product?

"AT&T Unlimited Plus Enhanced"

 

[Dizzy714]

I wonder how this will affect the existing credit of $25 that was promoted back when I signed up last year. From my understanding was that $25 credit would be for life as long as I did not make any changes or cancel either ATT or the DTV NOW service.

 

[magicschoolbus]

Direct TV now is one of the few services that has MSG, which allows me to watch all of my Devils games.

I tried Direct TV now, but after speaking with Verizon FIOS - my bundle package would still somehow be cheaper than DirectTV Now + my Internet provider. Crazy..

 

[b11051973]

I wonder how this will affect the existing credit of $25 that was promoted back when I signed up last year. From my understanding was that $25 credit would be for life as long as I did not make any changes or cancel either ATT or the DTV NOW service.

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.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

The ATT website hasn't been updated yet. Still shows $90 for 1 line of Unlimited Enhanced Plus. Curious what 4 lines will cost under the new lower pricing?

 

[YoungLay]

The ATT website hasn't been updated yet. Still shows $90 for 1 line of Unlimited Enhanced Plus. Curious what 4 lines will cost under the new lower pricing?

i was wondering the same thing

 

[DocMultimedia]

How's reliability been for you regarding the DVR? I'm on beta as well, and while watching shows has been mostly okay, actually navigating around menus has been pretty laggy and sometimes just broken. I'm still mostly positive that it'll be a nice DVR experience once it's out for everyone.

Mostly OK sums it up. I'm using it primarily on Apple TV, and with one of the updates it entirely broke the DVR feature. Menu navigation is definitely my biggest issue. It just doesn't feel fluid in trying to navigate around between live tv, "shows", my library, etc.

In the swipe down menu, they don't give you the option to change audio output (as many other apps do), so always have to go to main system preferences to set the audio to my HomePod. My other gripe is with the TV listings. I wish it would remember "favorites," rather than always jumping back to the full listing.

I'll stick around a bit longer and see how it goes. I vastly prefer it to the non-beta version of the ATV app.

 

[noximure]

It mentions the cell plan went from $90 to $80.

It also mentions a $15 credit to DirecTV. I know there is an existing credit. Is it currently $15 or is that changing too?

I signed up for the unlimited data plan last year when it was first launched and received $25 credit. The new plan would drop my bill $10 and lower my credit by $10. I'll call customer service and see if they'll match the new pricing and try to keep my current $25 credit.

 

[christophermn]

I signed up for the unlimited data plan last year when it was first launched and received $25 credit. The new plan would drop my bill $10 and lower my credit by $10. I'll call customer service and see if they'll match the new pricing and try to keep my current $25 credit.

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.

 

[noximure]

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.

Yes, I'll let everyone know.

 

[deeddawg]

The ATT website hasn't been updated yet. Still shows $90 for 1 line of Unlimited Enhanced Plus. Curious what 4 lines will cost under the new lower pricing?

Well they did say it goes into effect on March 1st and today's February 27th... Article claimed the $90 goes to $80. (That'd be for the individual plan, not sure what happens with the $115 family unlimited, if it's mentioned I missed it)
[doublepost=1519761980][/doublepost]

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.

The $25 credit dropped to $15 sometime late last year for new subscribers, maybe in November but I could easily be wrong on the exact time.

 

[Xenomorph]

lol.

"Unlimited Plus Enhanced, now with 15GB of data!"

 

[Crow_Servo]

lol.

"Unlimited Plus Enhanced, now with 15GB of data!"

15GB of hotspot data, but yeah, still only 22GB of guaranteed high speed data outside hotspot. Unlimited is just a deceitful buzzword.

 

[sirozha]

I'm on the beta program for DirecTV Now, where the DVR service is up and running (although it is beta...so still has some issues). I'm wondering how much they are going to charge for the DVR. In the beta program you can store up to 20 hours of content.

I'm not really sure why these new internet TV services charge based on the number of hours that they let you record. The beauty of the cloud DVR is that each TV program or episode needs to be recorded only once and then it can be viewed by millions. So, all these services need to do is to record everything that is being broadcast on every channel that they offer. Then, a number of logical links would be created in each user profile to the program(s) or episode(s) that the user wants to get access to. Basically, this is very similar to the on-demand service that they already offer. Once all logical links to the same episode are deleted by the users, the episode can be deleted by the service. This would take significantly less storage space than having the same episode recorded by millions of people and stored millions of times. I do see a point why one would limit the number of recorded hours accessible to each user because that limit would make users manage their "DVR" section and remove the recordings (which are just logical links) that they no longer want from their DVR. This would allow the service to eventually age out programs/episodes and permanently delete them (years after they were recorded). But, 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.
[doublepost=1519780520][/doublepost]

Mostly OK sums it up. I'm using it primarily on Apple TV, and with one of the updates it entirely broke the DVR feature. Menu navigation is definitely my biggest issue. It just doesn't feel fluid in trying to navigate around between live tv, "shows", my library, etc.

In the swipe down menu, they don't give you the option to change audio output (as many other apps do), so always have to go to main system preferences to set the audio to my HomePod. My other gripe is with the TV listings. I wish it would remember "favorites," rather than always jumping back to the full listing.

I'll stick around a bit longer and see how it goes. I vastly prefer it to the non-beta version of the ATV app.

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.