AT&T TV Review 2021

Wait . . . Is this . . . AT&T TV? Or AT&T TV NOW, which was formerly DIRECTV NOW? Is this a streamable service? Or is this cable TV? Are you as confused as we are? We’ll try not to confuse you more.

AT&T TV is a streamable version of DIRECTV, the satellite TV provider. It’s a cable-like service with a set-top box, a two-year contract, some fees, and the same second-year price hike you get with traditional DIRECTV.

It’s perfect for those who don’t want to go through the hassle of installing a satellite dish and relying on that same dish to work during those harsh weather conditions.

AT&T TV also has a great channel lineup in all of its packages. Let’s dive in to see if this is the service for you and your family.

How much does AT&T TV cost?

Not so bad the first year, but the second year can get pricey

When you compare the monthly price of AT&T TV to other live TV streaming services, the price is great considering how many live TV channels and on-demand content you’ll be getting.

But your monthly bill for the second year just seems outrageous. AT&T TV recently dropped its packages by $10 for the first year, so we guess this extra $10 could help pay for AT&T TV during year two.

When you compare the price of AT&T TV to DIRECTV, the satellite service, you’re paying almost double for each channel with AT&T TV.

So, it depends on how you look at it. If you like DIRECTV but don’t want to worry about dish installation and you want to watch ESPN anywhere, anytime, AT&T TV is the service for you. But if you just want a well-rounded live TV streaming service for a decent price, we definitely suggest you check out YouTube TV.

^{Data effective 12/9/2020. Price and channel inclusion vary according to location.}

This could make or break your decision to get AT&T TV, but look below to see how much your monthly bill will increase during the second year of your service.

But if you want a traditional TV experience and you love having all of your live channels and on-demand content in one place, it could be worth it. So, budget accordingly.

^{Data effective 12/9/2020. Price and channel inclusion vary according to location.}

If you bundle TV with internet, you can save at least $10 per month over having two separate providers for TV and internet. And you only have to worry about one bill. Simplicity.

Make sure you check out our full review of AT&T internet. Our internet expert, Catherine McNally, says “AT&T’s prices for its Up to 100 Mbps and Internet 1,000 plans get you a lot of bang for your buck.”

Does AT&T TV have a contract?

Unfortunately, yes. AT&T TV requires you to sign a two-year contract.

And the price goes up during your second year. Sigh. So, we hope this review will help you make the decision of if AT&T TV is right for you.

Does AT&T TV have fees?

As unfortunately promised in our intro, there are some fees with AT&T TV. The activation fee isn’t horrible, but don’t forget to add on that extra $9 to your monthly bill for the glorious thing we call sports.

• Activation fee: $19.95
• Regional sports fee: Up to $8.49/mo.
• Early termination fee (ETF): $15/mo. for each month remaining on your contract

But we might be able to help you avoid those cancellation fees.

Also, keep in mind that you will not receive a monthly bill because AT&T will require you to make automated payments. You will be able to see all of your account and payment information on att.com/myatt.

Going paperless is the cool thing to do now, of course.

Which channels does AT&T TV have?

Each package has CNN, Disney Channel, ESPN, FOX News, and TNT

We must have our news, kids, entertainment, and sports channels. A good combination is what anyone is looking for. That’s what you’re going to find with each AT&T TV package.

Check out the full channel lineup for each package to make sure it’s the right one for you and your family, but we’ve highlighted the popular channels below. (And enjoy lots of HD channels).

Scroll down a little further for the good stuff. The sports, ya know.

AT&T TV ENTERTAINMENT channels include the following:

AT&T TV CHOICE channels include the following:

AT&T TV XTRA channels include the following:

AT&T TV ULTIMATE channels include the following:

• Starz Encore Action
• Starz Encore Black
• Starz Encore Classic
• Starz Encore Family
• Starz Encore Suspense
• Starz Encore Westerns

AT&T TV PREMIER channels include the following:

Which premium channels and add-ons does AT&T TV have?

AT&T TV offers all of the premium channels, or you can get the STARZ channels included in your ULTIMATE package, or STARZ, SHOWTIME, and CINEMAX in your PREMIER package.

You’ll also get a free one-year membership to HBO Max when you get the CHOICE package and above, along with 3 free months of Cinemax, SHOWTIME, STARZ, and EPIX. Just make sure you set a reminder in your phone to cancel after your free subscription has ended … or you’ll be charged.

^{*Data effective 12/9/2020. Price and channel inclusion vary according to location.}

Here is a break-down of what you’ll be getting with AT&T TV’s add-ons:

• Movie Extra Pack: Among the eight channels, you’ll get Crime & Investigation, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
• AT&T TV Deportes: TyC Sports, Univision Deportes, FOX Deportes, and ESPN Deportes.
• AT&T TV Español: Univision, Discovery Channel en Español, Estrella TV, and Cinelatino.

Which sports channels does AT&T TV have?

AT&T TV’s sports game is a little weak. The sports channels are scarce, but at least it offers most of the major sports networks (where’s the NFL Network?).

You don’t need to upgrade from XTRA if you’re looking for the most sports channels with AT&T TV since ULTIMATE and PREMIER have the same sports channel lineup.

AT&T TV ENTERTAINMENT sports channels include the following:

• ESPN HD
• ESPN2 HD
• FS1
• NBC Sports Network

AT&T TV CHOICE sports channels include the following:

AT&T TV XTRA sports channels include the following:

• CBS Sports Network
• FS2
• Golf Channel
• NHL Network
• Olympic Channel
• Sportsman Channel

What is AT&T TV’s device like?

Behold! The cable-streaming set-top box!

So AT&T TV is a streamable cable-like version of DIRECTV, the satellite provider. So instead of a satellite dish, you’ll be receiving a set-top box where you can record, watch live TV, and watch on-demand content.

And guess what? You can easily set it up! No IKEA instructions needed.

You also get to use your voice to control your TV with a Google Assistant remote. Just say “Show me action movies” or “Launch Netflix” and get what you want in seconds.

The AT&T TV device is included in your monthly price, and it gives you 500 hours of cloud DVR storage and saves for 90 days. That’s some decent storage!

You, your mom, and your daughter can all stream a Lifetime movie at the same time as three people can stream simultaneously.

Not to mention, there are more than 5,000 apps on the device, such as Netflix, YouTube, and Pandora, along with up to 50,000 on-demand titles.

But if you need more AT&T TV devices in your home, you’ll need to budget accordingly.

Which devices are compatible with AT&T TV?

If you’re not at home, you don’t have the option to watch Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure or CNN Newsroom on your AT&T TV device. So you need to have another device that’s compatible with AT&T TV to watch on the go.

Here are a few to choose from:

• Amazon Fire TV Stick
• Android smartphones and tablets
• Apple TV (4th generation)
• Roku
• iPhones and iPads
• Safari and Chrome browsers
• Chromecast
• Samsung 2017–2019 Smart TVs

AT&T TV requires a minimum download speed of 8 Mbps per stream. And if you and two other members of your family want to stream at the same time, that means you’ll be using 24 Mbps total. (Not sure what internet speed you have? Test it out with our tool.)

Recap: Is AT&T TV worth it?

If you want DIRECTV without a satellite dish, AT&T TV is for you

We’re going to be honest: we only recommend AT&T TV if you want a cable-like DIRECTV, don’t want to worry about the hassle of installation, and want to stream your channels anywhere on the go.

In fact, we would actually recommend it’s sister streaming service even more so. AT&T TV NOW has fewer channels, but you don’t have to worry about the second-year price hikes.

But if you’re sold on AT&T TV, you’ll get to enjoy a combination of news, kids, sports, and entertainment channels. You’ll also get 500 hours of cloud DVR storage, so you can go ahead and record over 160 movies if you want!

But if neither AT&T TV nor AT&T TV NOW are what you want, check out our top live TV streaming providers.

^{Data effective 12/9/2020. Price and channel inclusion vary according to location.}

What do you think?

Do you have AT&T TV? What’s your experience with it been? Or do you like a different streaming service better? Drop us a comment below!

FAQ

Q: Can I get NFL SUNDAY TICKET with AT&T TV?

Undeniably, one of the best parts about DIRECTV is NFL SUNDAY TICKET. It’s worth the second-year price hike to get access to all out-of-market NFL games!

But AT&T TV doesn’t offer it.

You might be wondering: but I thought AT&T TV was a streamable version of DIRECTV? We thought so too.

Maybe one day AT&T TV will add an NFL SUNDAY TICKET subscription option.