AT&T is reportedly launching a new DirecTV service with a streaming box and 4K support

[Polycount]

If you're a cord-cutter, you certainly aren't starved for choice as far as non-cable entertainment services go.

Dish's Sling TV, AT&T's DirecTV Now and Sony's PlayStation Vue all fit the cable replacement category admirably, while Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime offer great on-demand entertainment options.

New video streaming platforms pop up on a fairly regular basis to challenge current cord-cutting market giants, but it's somewhat unusual for a company to launch multiple streaming services of their own, particularly if they might be in competition with each other.

However, that's precisely what AT&T plans to do, according to DSLReports. AT&T has reportedly confirmed that they plan to launch a new DirecTV service that will be "notably more robust" than their current DirecTV Now offering.

The as-of-yet unnamed service will have a lower price and it will require an AT&T-provided streaming box to function. An FCC filing we reported on last year suggested the streaming box will support 4K content and run on a modified version of Android OS.

It's unclear when this service will launch, but AT&T CEO John Donovan reportedly told MoffetNathanson Media & Communications summit attendees that the company plans to have "five different" streaming services up and running by 2019.

Image via DSLReports

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https://www.techspot.com/news/74690-att-reportedly-launching-new-directv-service-streaming-box.html

 

[wiyosaya]

I bet that box will collect viewer data and monetize it if not also target commercials to users.

Even without that, it is a non-starter for me.

 

[drjekelmrhyde]

Won't matter unless the premium content providers providers start showing stuff in 4K

 

[Dina12]

I assume the purpose of the streaming box is so that they can charge a monthly rental fee for it rather than have one use an Apple TV, Amazon, or Roku. Or will this streaming box make it so that the screen doesn't freeze or the picture and the sound will be in sync, which is what sometimes happens? If they are going to continually raise their prices as cable does, then I think they are going to lose most of their customers. Many, I think, went to DirecTV Now because they were sick of how cable companies charge too much and raise their prices regularly. As a DirecTv Now customer, I think they are going to ruin it. Just the other day, when we turned it on, it wouldn't work and we were told to reenter our e-mail address and password. I thought maybe they had upgraded it. Instead, they redesigned their guide so that instead of being able to access eight program listings at a time on the guide, you could only see three since the rest of the screen had useless pictures filling it. Making it prettier at the expense of making it harder is not an upgrade.

 

[Uncle Al]

I had DirectTVNOW for several months, but it had constant lagging problems, many of the same old programs and access to public television so I dumped it. It will be interesting to hear what "great new" things they offer this time around, but having to use their box smacks too much like cable TV to me and if they start talking contracts, it will be the same old lipstick on a pig .....

 

[DelJo63]

My friends here in So Cal said the same thing - - we went with DISH and it's just fine (for us). We get Internet elsewhere however.

 

[JeffAZ]

I assume the purpose of the streaming box is so that they can charge a monthly rental fee for it rather than have one use an Apple TV, Amazon, or Roku. Or will this streaming box make it so that the screen doesn't freeze or the picture and the sound will be in sync, which is what sometimes happens? If they are going to continually raise their prices as cable does, then I think they are going to lose most of their customers. Many, I think, went to DirecTV Now because they were sick of how cable companies charge too much and raise their prices regularly. As a DirecTv Now customer, I think they are going to ruin it. Just the other day, when we turned it on, it wouldn't work and we were told to reenter our e-mail address and password. I thought maybe they had upgraded it. Instead, they redesigned their guide so that instead of being able to access eight program listings at a time on the guide, you could only see three since the rest of the screen had useless pictures filling it. Making it prettier at the expense of making it harder is not an upgrade.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Who even designs these things? Now a big waist of space on the guide. Plus the DVR functions dont even work.