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- AT&T TV is a live TV streaming platform with plans ranging in price from $60 a month to $140 per month.
- The service has the feel and channel lineup of a cable subscription, but offers packages with or without annual contracts.
- Select plans also include one year of HBO Max and NBA League Pass for free.
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AT&T TV is a live TV streaming platform that's designed much like a typical cable service. It offers both contract and no-contract packages, and you can use it with a variety of smart devices.
AT&T TV replaces the company's previous AT&T TV Now service. AT&T announced it would no longer be taking in new customers for AT&T TV Now as of January 12, though existing subscribers can still use the platform.
Below, we've detailed everything you need to know about the AT&T TV streaming service, including how it compares to AT&T TV Now, the price of its no-contract and contract-based packages, and how it stacks up to competing streaming platforms.
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What is AT&T TV?
AT&T TV is a live TV streaming service that launched in 2020. Though it previously required contracts and needed an AT&T TV device to watch live channels, the service now offers no-contract packages and support for other streaming players.
No-contract packages range from $69.99 to $139.99 a month. If you're looking for a streaming provider with 65 or more live channels, this is a solid option with a varied assortment of plans.
If you're currently on an AT&T TV contract, you can switch to a month-to-month option when it expires.
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How does AT&T TV compare to AT&T TV Now?
As of January 12, AT&T TV has merged with the older AT&T TV Now service. AT&T TV Now is no longer available to new users, but existing subscribers can continue to access the service until their subscriptions are up.
Despite their similar names, there are some differences between AT&T TV and the old AT&T TV Now service. AT&T TV Now was a no-contract streaming service able to operate on a number of popular web browsers as well as other platforms such as Apple TV, Chromecast, Chrome, Safari and iOS devices.
While the newer AT&T TV service originally required a contract and an AT&T TV device, those requirements are no longer needed. This makes AT&T TV very similar to the service it's now replacing.
That said, AT&T TV's plans are a bit more expensive than AT&T TV Now's previous options, and the number of channels offered differs a bit. If you want to make the switch to AT&T TV, the cheapest package under the newer service offers over 20 more channels but costs roughly $15 more than the cheapest AT&T TV Now package.
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How can you sign up for AT&T TV?
You can sign up for one of AT&T TV's different packages on its website. Prices and specific promotional offers differ depending on whether you go with a month-to-month plan or an annual contract subscription.
Certain packages offer the option for access to NBA League Pass for the 2020-21 season. You can also add HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and Starz packages, along with Spanish-language and international channels for an extra fee. For any no-contract plan, you can also add on an additional 480 hours of DVR storage for $10 a month.
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AT&T TV no-contract plans
There are multiple packages you can sign up for through AT&T TV without a contract. All four offer live TV, on-demand movies, and 20 hours of DVR storage.
AT&T TV's "Entertainment" package goes for $69.99 a month and includes 65-plus channels and 40,000 on-demand shows.
There's also the more expensive "Choice" package for $84.99 a month with over 90 channels. This plan adds sports networks like ESPNU, the MLB Network, and NBA TV as well as entertainment channels like Comedy TV, Fuse, Nicktoons, Nick Jr. and Pop.
AT&T TV's $94.99 a month "Ultimate" package steps the selection up to over 130 channels, including Starz, Encore, CBS Sports Network, the Golf Channel and the NHL Network.
The streaming service's "Premier" package is the priciest choice and costs $139.99 a month. It features 140-plus channels, 65,000 on-demand shows, and includes Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channels along with HBO, Showtime, and Cinemax channels.
If you sign up for the Choice package or above, you can also receive one-year of HBO Max and access to NBA League Pass for the 2020-21 season for free.
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AT&T TV 2-year contract plans
You can save between $10 to $20 a month during your first year with AT&T TV if you sign up for a package with a two-year agreement. Contract plans also include a free AT&T TV streaming device and 500 hours of Cloud DVR support.
The "Entertainment" package starts at $59.99 a month for the first year, the "Choice" package starts at $64.99 a month, the "Ultimate" package starts at $79.99 a month, and the "Premier" package starts at $129.99 a month.
AT&T TV also offers an exclusive "Xtra" package for contract subscribers, which features 120-channels, such as National Geographic Wild, NBC Golf, and CBS Sports Network. The package costs $74.99 a month in the first year.
With that said, monthly prices for all of the contract plans increase in their second year, with costs rising between $33 and $55 a month depending on which package you choose. There's also a $19.95 activation fee with the agreement, and there are early termination fees if you decide to leave the contract ($15 a month for each month remaining).
All the packages with a two-year agreement, besides the "Entertainment" package, include one-year of HBO Max and NBA League Pass access to the 2020-21 season.
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What devices can I use for AT&T TV?
AT&T TV works on a variety of devices, from iOS and Android mobile products to Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, and Chromecast.
Although the service originally required a specific AT&T TV device, that's no longer the case. That said, the AT&T TV player comes with some perks, like a Google Assistant-enabled remote and access to Google Play apps.
The AT&T TV device costs $5 a month for 24 months, or $120 upfront.
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How does AT&T TV compare to other live streaming services?
The cheapest AT&T TV package without a contract starts at $69.99 a month, which is about $5 a month more than entry-level packages from Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and FuboTV. It's also roughly $25 more than Sling TV's Orange and Blue combo package.
AT&T TV's entry-level plan has more channels than Sling TV, however, and it includes options for some networks not available with Sling.
The entry-level AT&T TV option offers around the same number of channels as Hulu + Live TV. That said, though Hulu has add-on packages, it doesn't provide higher priced tiers with more channels like AT&T TV does.
Meanwhile, FuboTV's entry-level plan actually includes more channels than AT&T TV, but there is no option for HBO.
Finally, YouTube TV's options for channels vary by region, but the service touts 85-plus channels on its webpage. Like Hulu, though, YouTube has add-ons but doesn't have step-up packages with more channels like AT&T TV offers.
Streaming Fellow, Insider Reviews
Ben is a former Streaming and Home Entertainment Fellow for the Business Insider Reviews team, where he covered the latest in streaming services along with roundups of popular TVs, speakers, and headphones. He previously reported for The Buffalo News' Sun newspapers and was an editor at the University at Buffalo's independent student newspaper The Spectrum. He comes from a background in music journalism and he's one of the minds behind "More Than A Hit," a podcast with his brother Brenton where the two talk with music stars from their childhood.See below for some of his work.Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here.