AT&T has announced they are rebranding DirecTV Now to AT&T TV Now later this summer. In 2015 AT&T’s purchase of DirecTV, the nation’s largest satellite TV network, then in 2016 launched DirecTV Now an internet-only online-only version of DirecTV to compete with YouTube TV, Sling and Hulu Live.
Since the launch of the service in 2016, the service has been plagued by multiple outages, unexpected blackouts of live local sports games, and missing channels. In an effort to sign up more subscribers they were offering free Apple TV boxes for a while three months of subscription.
DirecTV Now suffered from large amounts of cancelations from lack of DVR capability for shows during primetime. DirecTV has taken a hit not only online but as reported in arstechnica AT&T lost nearly 1 million TV subscribers after raising DirecTV prices.
AT&T press release read as follows
“In select markets this summer, we will pilot an all-new connected TV experience with no satellite needed – AT&T TV.
As we roll out this new experience later this summer, current DIRECTV NOW customers will also see a new name—AT&T TV NOW—appear on their screen.
Our DIRECTV NOW subscribers will simply need to re-accept the terms of service and their streaming will continue as usual without interruption.
Both the AT&T TV and AT&T TV NOW experiences will be accessed through the same AT&T TV app either on mobile or the big screen. Customer login credentials will determine what content appears.
In the coming weeks, the AT&T TV app will be available for download across various app stores, and current DIRECTV NOW customers will see this update automatically on their devices.
We’ll share more details on this rollout when it begins.”