AT&T is reportedly planning an aggressive offer with its upcoming DirecTV Nov streaming TV service, bundling free Apple TVs and Amazon Fire TV Sticks.
DirecTV Now was already shaping up as an attractive service, offering more than 100 channels for just $35 per month. At that price, it will already undercut most rivals on the market, but AT&T is reportedly looking to further sweeten the deal and offer neat freebies with the service.
According to leaked promotional documents obtained by Variety, AT&T wants to ensure that all interested customers would be able to take full advantage of its streaming service. DirectTV Now is a streaming service, which means that it's delivered over the internet without requiring cable or satellite. However, streaming services require a smart TV or a streaming box for a regular TV.
AT&T wants its service to appeal to as many consumers as possible and because not everyone has a streaming box or a smart TV, the company apparently plans to take care of that as well.
DirecTV Now Free Fire TV Stick Offer
According to Variety, customers who sign up for one month of DirecTV Now will get a free Amazon Fire TV Stick. One month of DirecTV costs $35, while the Fire TV Stick normally retails for about $40.
DirecTV Now Free Apple TV Deal
Even better, customers who sign up for three months of DirecTV Now will get an Apple TV. Paying for three months of service at $35 per month would amount to a $105 investment in total, well worth the free Apple TV that normally costs $150.
Both bundles are highly attractive, but the Apple TV one is obviously more advantageous if you don't mind paying for three months of DirecTV Now in advance.
AT&T will reportedly be able to make things work at such aggressive prices partly by eliminating legacy equipment such as satellite dishes. It's still unclear at this point, however, just what channels will be in the mix with AT&T's DirecTV Now.
The company already signed agreements with Discovery, HBO, NBCUniversal, Viacom, Turner, Disney, AMC, Starz, Scripps and more, so most likely all the major ones will be on board for launch. What's still unclear is precisely which channels these networks will provide.
Catch-up Window
Variety further reveals that DirecTV Now will sport a "72-hour catch-up window" that will allow users to watch TV shows on demand for three days after they aired. This feature may have some limitations though, and it seems that ESPN is not supported for catch-up.
Otherwise, DirecTV Now will reportedly have an extensive library of up to 14,000 on-demand titles ready for viewing, adds Variety.
The Future Looks Bright
According to a separate report from MoffetNathanson, AT&T's DirecTV Now could draw a massive 11 million subscribers, pulling 2 million from DirecTV, 3 million cord-cutters and 6 million from pay TV.
It remains to be seen just how successful DirecTV Now will be, but for now it's shaping up as a killer service ready to disrupt the TV scene. AT&T's DirecTV Now should launch later this month and we'll keep you up to date as soon as it does, so stay tuned.
