Watch TV Shows The World Streaming After Net Neutrality

Sign up for one of two unlimited long distance plans and get a TV service with 30 plus channels for free. This is the world post net neutrality. AT&T is leveraging its new asset, Time Warner, to offer a new streaming TV package “Watch TV” to its customers. The service features the Turner family of networks like CNN and TNT along with a bevy of networks outside of the company’s reach.

What channels do they get?

In addition to the Turner-owned channels, At&T has set up deals to offer a number of other popular choices while excluding sports. The service includes the History channel, the Hallmark Channel, Sundance TV and more. AT&T also says that the service will offer 15,000 TV shows and movies on demand. The package on its own is a pretty strong entry at its price point. When it hits the general market it will cost $15.00 per month. Most live TV streaming services cost around 25-35 dollars at the minimum. Though it should be mentioned that the more expensive services do offer ESPN. For the sports fans of the world, this package will be a non-starter. But there is a large audience out there who can live quite happily without sports. The question will be how many of them are or will be At&T customers and how many of them are looking to fill a need for a new skinny bundle.

Philo at most risk

If I’m Philo I’m worried big time right now. Philo distinguished itself last year as the Skinny bundle without sports. The service offers a very similar lineup of networks with 40 included for a starting price of $16.00. Is the 15 dollar price tag a stab at the smaller startup?

Screengrab of Philo channel lineup from Philo website. The TV channel Lineups are very similar.

Will this cause brand confusion?

AT&T now has 4 separate TV offerings. It has Direct TV, a traditional satellite-based big bundle service. It offers U-Verse TV. U-Verse TV is another traditional big bundle offered via fiber connections. Lest we forget DirecTV Now. The company’s first cord-cutting solution costs $35.00 to get started and offers a number of other tiered packages. Adding Watch TV to that mix may really confound new customers. Recently I helped a family member set up a TV solution for my grandparents. I had to explain the difference between DirecTV Now and U-verse in order to prevent her from getting a service that would not offer CBS and Fox in our market. Otherwise, NFL football season would have been a mess. It behooves AT&T to make sure that its customer service reps have a strong understanding of all of its packages so that customers do not get the wrong kind of service when they reach out to get TV.

Does it have HBO?

HBO is not included in the Watch TV package. But if people decide to jump in with AT&T as their cell service provider and get the unlimited package, which includes Watch TV already, they have the choice to add one of a number of choices. These include Amazon Music Unlimited, Pandora Premium, HBO®, Cinemax, SHOWTIME®, STARZ® or VRV. So if it makes sense to use AT&T for its cell plan and is cost effective enough to sign up for unlimited data a customer can in fact add HBO to their entertainment package.