AT&T Revives Unlimited Data for AT&T TV Subscribers

ATT logoAs we’ve seen another carrier struggle recently with unlimited video streaming, and the Net Neutrality implications of throttling or degrading performance for network stability, AT&T looks to be returning to a business model consumers will understand easily: Unlimited Data.

Of course there’s a small catch. Unlimited data plans will be offered as part of a bundled service with AT&T TV (formerly DirecTV).

Earlier this week, Big Blue took the wraps off of their new Unlimted plan for DirecTV, AT&T TV, or U-Verse TV subscribers. They’ll pay $100 a month for the first phone, additional phone lines will cost $40, and the fourth phone line will be free.

It’s an exciting move. Instead of cherry picking a handful of individual services or apps, a fully bundled AT&T customer will have few restrictions on streaming any content they desire. As of now, the only limit appears to be a vaguely worded footnote that at 22GB of usage in a month “reduced speeds may apply”. How that might be enforced is still unseen, but it’s a fairly healthy chunk of mobile data for folks looking to move up from plan that often start users off around 10GB per month.

You can read the full AT&T press release below.

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AT&T to Match Google Fiber Speeds and Pricing in Kansas City

ATT logoI’ve said it before. I’ll say it again.

The fastest way to improve an industry’s service or pricing is to introduce more competition. For the broadband industry, we’ve been watching traditional cable and DSL providers scramble to improve their offerings in areas where Google or publicly funded efforts are rolling out fiber to home internet.

AT&T has announced plans to match Google’s price and performance in areas around Kansas City. Gigabit broadband will cost $70, and combined with a basic TV package will increase that rate to $120.

It’s interesting to note that AT&T will also be courting businesses as Google currently only offers their fiber solution to residential areas. AT&T is already operating their “Gigapower” version of U-Verse in Austin, and there has been talk of expanding to more areas around the country this year. Moving to Kansas City is a clear shot at the area Google started their fiber roll out.

With Google announcing more cities on their list for gigabit internet, it would seem the broadband market might be heating up a bit, especially as cable providers like Time Warner and Comcast seem ill-equipped to offer competitive speeds and pricing compared to fiber providers.

You can read AT&T’s full press release below.

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Review: The Food Network App on U-verse

It’s that time of year, where our kitchens get a work out. U-verse is partnering with The Food Network, to provide some recipe tools to the largest screen in your home.

To test the app, AT&T folks invited some fun folks over to a “Friendsgiving” house party, where the entire menu would be prepared off of recipes provided through the app.

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The app is fairly easy to navigate, inspired by minimal tablet apps, with side-scrolling menu options. Tied into popular Food Network programs, you can search by recipe, ingredient, or scan through recipes recommended by various show hosts. I spent most of my time looking through Alton Brown’s recommendations. Because he is awesome. Truth.

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AT&T Announces Chicago and Atlanta Next Two Cities to Get Gigabit U-Verse

Progress people! Big Blue is rolling out more gigabit fiber, and the next two cities on their list will be Chicago and Atlanta.

Gigapower U-Verse is currently available in the Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth areas, and will also be launched soon in Atlanta, Charlotte, Cupertino, Greensboro, Houston, Jacksonville, Fla., Miami, Nashville, Overland Park, Kan., Raleigh-Durham, San Antonio, St. Louis and Winston-Salem markets.

1000Mbps broadband folks. ONE THOUSAND! Remember that every time you see a cable or DSL ad…

AT&T PR below. Continue reading “AT&T Announces Chicago and Atlanta Next Two Cities to Get Gigabit U-Verse”

Cupertino Will Be First City In California to Get Gigabit AT&T U-Verse

Fiber roll outs are starting to spread!

AT&T is announcing plans to introduce their “Gigapower” U-Verse service to more areas. The first city in California to receive full duplex gigabit broadband?

Cupertino!

Yes Apple’s home town will be getting data speeds 10 times faster than the beefiest cable offerings around these parts. Specific locations and dates will be announced soon, and San Jose, CA is also in consideration for a future fiber roll out.

Any company want to light up Los Angeles? Any one?  Full AT&T PR below.

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March Madness Anywhere You Want With the U-Verse App!

image (1)Here’s the dilemma. You’re a college basketball fiend, but you still have to occasionally leave the glow of your awesome TV to do things like go to work, or socialize with the non-college-basketball-fiend friends of yours. Sure you could just track your bracket via some website, but what’s the fun in that? If you’re an AT&T U-Verse subscriber, you could just watch every single game from anywhere you can utilize a data connection…

uverse busI had the opportunity to jump on the U-Verse Bus to try out the service, and aside from a few hiccups in areas of LA where no carrier gets good service, it worked fairly well. A fun example of how we could stream the first day games on the go. I say fun, but it was actually torturous, as my precious Buckeyes were upset in the very first round. My billion dollar bracket hopes down the drain from the very first game.

imageWe had the service hooked up to the Bus’ TV via a Samsung Galaxy Tab, and throughout most of LA and the Valley, we were watching live college hoops in full HD. We’d catch moments of Netflix style down-sampling, but on the whole it was pleasantly stable, and we had full access to all of the info services found on the traditional TV app. We could fire up the bracket to see wins and losses, or while watching a game get expanded coverage pop-up video style.

So while my team is already out of the race, if you’re still going strong on your bracket, the U-Verse app is a handy way to keep up in real time. Full press release below.

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AT&T Offers 1 Year Free U-Verse to Qualifying California Businesses

ATT logoIf any market can use a little more broadband competition it’s… well… pretty much the entire country, but if you’re running a small business in California, and you meet the requirements, AT&T might be able to take a chunk off of your yearly expenses.

If you’re an AT&T wireless customer on a Mobile Share plan, you can add a year of U-Verse business broadband with a $35 a month credit. Starting off with the 6Mbps plan, which you essentially get for free, you can climb up to a 45Mbps plan for only $60 a month.

Really the only hitch will be if your business resides in a U-Verse area. Hit the press release below for the full scoop on plans and details.

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AT&T lighting up “Giga-Power” U-Verse in Austin

att u-verse gigapower austin txIt’s happening!

See, a little outside competition IS a good thing for us lowly consumers. AT&T is flipping the switch on a 300Mbps consumer plan for $70 a month. While currently that is about a third the potential maximum speed of Google Fiber, AT&T will automatically upgrade customers on that plan to full Gigabit broadband when it’s made available early next year.

Ordering a Double or Triple Play package with TV and Home Phone will net you HBO GO free for 36 months and a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Customers opting for this package who are AT&T wireless subscribers will also receive 50GB of free cloud storage.

att uverse bundles austin gigapower double play triple play

Unlike Google Fiber, which remains focused on home internet packages, AT&T will be rolling out plans supporting businesses in the Austin area as well. For more info: www.att.com/gigapower

Full PR after the jump.

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