What Was AT&T TV Now?

AT&T TV Now began in 2016 as DirecTV Now and was a strong option for cord-cutters. Priced competitively at $35 for over 100 live channels, the service captured the market out of the gate.

However, subscribers began dropping off as costs rose, licensing agreements ran out, and competitors cropped up.

In July 2019, DirecTV Now was rebranded to AT&T TV Now. However, by that point the number of live channels on offer had dropped drastically.

According to Antenna, AT&T TV Now had an 8% market share in September 2020. In comparison, YouTube TV had 26% and Hulu+ Live TV had 34%.

AT&T TV Now Merges With AT&T TV

Today, AT&T TV Now is no longer accepting new customers. However, existing customers can continue to use the service without disruption, and will be charged the same monthly price that they were previously paying. However, it’s unclear how long that’ll last for, since eventually the company will undoubtedly want those customers moved over to AT&T TV.

New customers are now directed to sign up to AT&T TV instead. You’ll be forgiven for not realizing that these are two separate services—the company is clearly finally trying to simplify its streaming offering.

Speaking to Variety, AT&T Senior Vice President of marketing Vince Torres said:

AT&T TV has $70, $85, and $95 plans, with the latter two also including a year’s subscription to HBO Max. The basic tier comes with more than 65 channels, while the most expensive has over 130, including regional sports networks.

Those prices are higher than what AT&T TV Now began at. While the offering is larger, only time will tell whether it’s enough to entice existing customers over.

Previously, usage of AT&T Now required the company’s own Android TV box. Now, that requirement has been dropped. You can use the service with other devices like Apple TV or Roku.

Other Alternatives to Cable

AT&T is far from the only company offering its own alternatives to cable. There’s never been more choice for cord-cutters, whether it’s live TV, on-demand, or pay-per-view, there’s bound to be a service that suits your needs. If AT&T Now doesn’t cut it, check out the other options.