I was ecstatic when AT&T invited me to fly to New York for a special unveiling. I’ve attended many of their events in the past and know that I can always count on them to leave me satisfied. What I didn’t expect was to be a part of the future of TV, with AT&T now offering 3 video streaming services: DIRECTV NOW, FreeVIEW and Fullscreen.
The unveiling took place at Venue 57, a large event space located in the heart of Midtown. I arrived to the unveiling right on time – the champagne servers just got into position. Naturally that’s the best time to show up. With my glass in hand, I started to mingle and play with the new products.
Freedom to Stream
Since cutting the cord many years ago, I have never looked back at entering into a contract with a cable provider. In fact, the thought of it makes me feel uneasy, and I’m not the only one that feels that way. Currently there are 20 million U.S. households who have become cable cutters and/or are playing with the idea of doing so. That’s a lofty number and one that seems to be growing more each year, which makes sense for AT&T’s new motto: Freedom to Stream.
DIRECTV NOW
Out of everything unveiled on Monday night, this is what excited me the most. Starting on November 30, users can sign-up – contract free – to DIRECTV NOW and stream their favorite live sports, on demand, premium channels, favorite shows, and hit movies right to their smartphone, tablet or TV. Did I mention it’s contract free?
Are you a cable cutter that is hesitant to join? I get it, so was I. But then they offered me a trial to test out any of their packages for 7 days. Even better, to celebrate the revolutionary launch of DIRECTV NOW, AT&T made their “Go Big” package with more than 100 channels just $35 per month. This is a VERY special limited time offer, as this package normally goes for $60 per month. You will stay grandfathered in for as long as you keep the package.
Here is what DIRECTV NOW programming packages look like:
- Live a Little – $35 / month (60+ channels)
- Just Right – $50 / month (80+ channels)
- Go Big – $60 / month (100+ channels)
- Gotta Have it – $70 / month (120+ channels)
To see what devices DIRECTV NOW works on and to learn more about its future, visit www.directvnow.com.
Fullscreen
For those unfamiliar with Fullscreen Media, they’re an entertainment company bringing 1,500+ hours of ad-free premium scripted and unscripted original series, TV shows and films licensed by studio partners. Their Fullscreen SVOD launched earlier this year for $5.99 per month, and now AT&T is offering an exclusive deal for their Mobility customers. You will now be able to enjoy Fullscreen content at no charge for 1 year included with new and existing wireless plans with message service. Sign up for this special offer at www.fullscreen.com/att and get Fullscreen anytime, anywhere in the U.S. on your smartphones, tablets, Chromecast and Apple TV.
FreeVIEW
Watch exclusive content free of charge via FreeVIEW. Think of it as a specially curated content source, with sampling of on-demand content from AUDIENCE Network, Otter Media properties and other channels on DIRECTV NOW.
Access FreeVIEW today by downloading the DIRECTV NOW app or start streaming free of charge on www.directvnow.com.
A huge thanks to AT&T for inviting me out to NYC for this very special unveiling. I’m excited to get my house setup on DIRECTV NOW. It’s been almost a decade since we’ve cut the cord, so it will be nice to have television again without the pesky contracts.
