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AT&T set to Launch WatchTV next week Pairing Entertainment with Smartphone Service

1 X COVER WATCHTV AT&T JUNE 2018

 

We reported in a late April report that AT&T had revealed a new mobile TV plan called "Watch" that the U.S. government felt could hurt consumers. Whether that position was pure politics at play or actually backed by solid data is unknown. What we do know today is that the AT&T service called "WatchTV" is now being prepared to launch next week, according to Reuters.

 

The Reuters report claims that "AT&T Inc. will launch two new unlimited wireless plans next week that will be bundled with a new video streaming service called WatchTV, in the company's first move to pair entertainment with phone service after closing its $85 billion acquisition of media company Time Warner Inc.

 

The No. 2 U.S. wireless carrier is putting to use Time Warner's stable of content, including TV channels like TBS and CNN, to drive sales of the wireless plans at a time when carriers have struggled to find growth.

 

"This is the first step to transforming how content is created, distributed and consumed," David Christopher, president of AT&T mobility and entertainment, said in an interview.

 

WatchTV, which will have over 30 live channels but no sports or local news channels, will be free for customers of the new wireless plans. It will cost $15 per month as a standalone product. Customers who sign up for the higher-priced wireless plan can also get HBO for free, the premium TV channel with the hit show "Game of Thrones" that AT&T acquired as part of the Time Warner deal.

 

WatchTV, which will have over 30 live channels but no sports or local news channels, will be free for customers of the new wireless plans. It will cost $15 per month as a standalone product. Customers who sign up for the higher-priced wireless plan can also get HBO for free, the premium TV channel with the hit show "Game of Thrones" that AT&T acquired as part of the Time Warner deal.

 

2a AT&T

AT&T's press release notes that "WatchTV features 30+ live channels. It's compatible on virtually every current smartphone, tablet or web browser, and certain streaming devices. In addition to live programming, WatchTV has over 15,000 TV shows and movies on demand.

 

According to AT&T, "You'll also get 15GB of high-speed tethering, access to high-definition video, and a $15 monthly credit toward DIRECTV, DIRECTV NOW or U-verse TV." Learn more from the press release here.

 

What's unknown today is how AT&T intends to negotiate with future TV services from the likes of Apple, Google, Amazon and others. The government was concerned that AT&T wouldn't open their network to competitors and eventually hurt consumers. Only time will tell if AT&T will make it impossible for Apple's future content service to compete against WatchTV.

 

Down the road there could be other avenues that Apple may tap into. In 2017 we reported that an industry insider by the name of Tim Farrar revealed that Boeing's low-earth satellite project was being funded by Apple.

 

In the short run, Apple's Worldwide Video is working on a number of projects that will help kick start Apple's new TV service and Apple is working hard with cable TV partners in turning Apple TV into a full cable set-top-box. The first deal was struck with Canal+, a Vivendi company.

 

During Apple's WWDC 2018 keynote they announced that similar deals for Apple TV were struck with Salt in Switzerland and Charter Spectrum in the U.S. What remains a mystery is Apple's mobile TV strategy.

 

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