AT&T TV is one of the most popular live TV streaming services out right now. Read on to find out more.
| Pros | Cons |
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What is AT&T TV?
AT&T TV launched in March 2020 as AT&T's flagship live streaming service. In a bid to compete with other live streaming platforms like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, AT&T has modernized their own service, making it easier to use in the era of streaming.
While subscribers have the option of signing on to a two-year contract and using the AT&T streaming box, these features are no longer required. AT&T TV provides a few different plans that you can pay for month-to-month, and you can now watch the live streaming service using other streaming devices, such as Google Chromecast or Roku.
AT&T TV features all of the hallmarks you'll find at the competing streaming services, such as a variety of popular networks to watch live, an on-demand library, DVR recording, and multiple simultaneous streams. You can also get a year of HBO Max for free with some of the plans AT&T offers.
Nowadays, most of us don't want to be tied down to a multiple-year contract with our streaming service, so we'll focus on the plans you can get without an annual contract. Here's everything AT&T TV offers potential subscribers in 2021.
AT&T TV compared to other TV streaming services
| AT&T TV | Hulu + Live TV | FuboTV | SlingTV (Orange + Blue) | |
| Starting monthly price | $70 | $65 | $65 | $50 |
| Free trial length | 14 days | 7 days | 7 days | N/A |
| On-demand content? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of channels | 65+ | 65+ | 112+ | 50+ |
| DVR storage | 20 hours | 50 hours | 250 hours | 50 hours |
| Offline downloads | No | Yes | No | No |
With packages starting at $70 per month, AT&T TV is the priciest out of all the main live TV streaming services. And if you subscribe to the Entertainment plan, which is AT&T TV's basic package, you'll have access to 65+ channels -- fuboTV's plans start at $5 less per month, and include 112+ channels.
To get the most value out of AT&T TV, it really makes sense to look into one of their higher-tier plans. With the Choice and Ultimate plans, subscribers get more channels, as well as a free year subscription to HBO Max, which is a big bonus if you already planned to buy HBO Max separately.
The more expensive plans also provide access to regional sports networks (RSNs), which is a major bonus if you're going to use AT&T TV to watch sports. And right now, AT&T TV is the only live TV streaming service with access to Bally Sports networks. Having access to Bally Sports is a serious leg-up on the competition if you live in one of the regions that the RSN covers.
Like most live streaming services, AT&T features cloud DVR. But you'll only get 20 hours, which isn't as much as you'll get with competing services. However, subscribers have the option to upgrade to unlimited cloud DVR for an additional $10 per month. AT&T TV allows subscribers to cancel their service within two weeks for a full refund, so the free trial period lasts a bit longer than the trials offered by competitors.
How much does AT&T TV cost?
AT&T TV currently features four different no-contract plans to choose from. All of the plans come with 20 hours cloud DVR and on-demand content included. And aside from the Entertainment plan, all of them will give you access to regional sports networks.
The Entertainment plan starts at $70 per month, plus taxes. This is the least expensive of the plans AT&T TV offers. The plan comes with 65+ live channels, as well as the local TV stations in your area. You'll also have access to 40,000 on-demand titles. But you won't be able to watch regional sports networks.
Next up is the Choice plan, which starts at $85 per month, plus taxes. This plan comes with 90+ channels, including local TV stations. You also get regional sports networks. Subscribers have access to 45,000 on-demand titles with the Choice plan, and you'll get one year of HBO Max for free. After the year is up, the HBO Max subscription reverts to the regular $15 per month.
The Ultimate plan starts at $95 per month, plus taxes. You'll have access to 130+ channels, local TV stations, and 45,000 on-demand titles. Regional sports networks are included here, as well as a year of HBO Max. The Ultimate plan also features access to all of the STARZ ENCORE channels.
The highest tier plan AT&T TV offers is the Premier plan. This plan starts at $140 per month, plus taxes. Subscribers get 140+ channels, local TV stations, and 65,000 on-demand titles. Regional sports networks are included here, and you'll also have full access to HBO Max, Cinemax, SHOWTIME, and STARZ. Package prices and offerings are subject to change.
AT&T TV channels and content
No matter which plan you choose, AT&T TV offers subscribers at least 65 live channels, plus thousands of on-demand titles. All of the plans include popular family networks like Disney and Nickelodeon, as well as movie networks like Turner Classic Movies, Sundance TV, IFC, and Lifetime. News networks like CNN, CNBC, and C-SPAN are also included in all packages.
As the plans become pricier, the network selection gets better. The Golf Channel, NHL Network, and Oxygen are among the networks that are only available with the two higher packages. But most of the popular networks, such as BET, Cartoon Network, ESPN, History, and MTV are available with all plans. You can check out the full channel selection compared between packages.
If you want access to premium channels, only the highest-tier plan, Premier, includes access to Cinemax, EPIX, SHOWTIME, and STARZ. But you can also purchase these channels separately with any package you want.
AT&T TV includes quite a few add-ons subscribers can use to augment their plans. These add-ons include premium channels (like EPIX and SHOWTIME), the ability to stream on additional devices, unlimited cloud DVR, and access to a bigger on-demand movie library with the Movies Extra Pack.
You can also add Latino channels to your subscription, as well as International TV packages that include Brazilian, Korean, and Vietnamese channels. Unfortunately, AT&T TV doesn't make it easy to find out how much each add-on costs. You'll have to sign into your account to check the current pricing.
AT&T TV features
Cloud DVR - All of the packages AT&T TV offers come with 20 hours of cloud DVR included for free. If you want to upgrade, you can get unlimited cloud DVR for an additional $10 per month.
Simultaneous streaming - AT&T TV is very generous with how many devices they allow. You can stream on as many as 20 devices when you're at home. And you can use up to three of those devices when you watch AT&T TV away from home. Some networks, such as the FOX networks, only allow three streams at the same time.
Sports - AT&T TV is a good option for watching live sports, if you don't mind paying a premium subscription fee. Depending on which plan you get, you'll have access to national sports networks, such as ESPN, FS1, and NBC Sports Network. With the exception of the Entertainment plan, all the plans will give you access to RSNs. And right now AT&T TV is the only major streaming service where you can watch Bally Sports networks.
AT&T TV supported devices
You don't have to use the AT&T box to watch AT&T TV. Instead, this streaming service will work with most of the popular devices people use to stream TV. The following devices support AT&T TV.
AT&T TV device
Amazon Fire TV
Android smartphones and tablets
iPhones and iPads
Apple TV (4th Gen+)
Chromecast (2nd Gen+)
Roku
Samsung smart TVs
Web browsers
Is AT&T TV worth it?
AT&T TV is the priciest of all the major TV streaming services. And if you want to most bang for your buck, you'll have to subscribe to one of the more expensive plans. But offering a free year of HBO Max is a solid deal for those who plan to subscribe to it anyway. And if you live in an area where a Bally Sports network is airing your favorite team's games, AT&T TV is the only option to see those games with a major live TV streaming service.
