AT&T’s streaming service is once again increasing prices.
AT&T’s TV Now, earlier known as DirecTV Now, is bouncing up its prices yet again by as much as 30%.
Subscribers who were on the $50 Plus range will now have to spend $65, while those on the $70 Max range will pay $80 per month.
The prices will go into impact for both new and current customers.
Earlier Price Revisions & Their Impact
The company had earlier revised its plans this year, where it launched the new Plus and Max ranges, and had increased rates.
However, at that point, existing subscribers were allowed to stay on their current plans.
The company’s goal with the frequent price hikes is to make its service more successful even as its subscribers continue to leave.
The streaming service closed in 2018 with lesser customers (1.6 million) than it had in Q2 2018 (1.8 million).
It has now fallen even further to 1.3 million, as of Q2 2019, a net loss of 168,000 subscribers.
AT&T had first attracted customers for its over-the-top streaming service with promotional discounts that were not sustainable.
And, according to a new lawsuit, it supposedly faked some of its user increase, as well.
But for consumers who signed up in 2016 for $35 per month, being gradually bumped up to now $65+ seems like a bait-and-switch.
On Reddit, many are protesting about this second fare hike of the year.
Several are implying that they will shift to YouTube TV as a result.
However, the one thing that is helping to stem the flow of cancellations is the fact that AT&T TV Now’s new plans bunch in HBO.
That gives AT&T’s service still more of a chance than competitive streamers who are cheaper but don’t include HBO.
Competitors Increasing Their Prices
AT&T is not the only live TV streaming to have increased pricing after launch.
Hulu along with Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV and PlayStation Vue have all done so at several points to meet rising programming costs.
AT&T verified the price changes, stating that the changes will go into impact on November 19th.
And affect customers with the legacy plans and the latest Plus and Max plans.
Consumers with Entertainment to Optimo Mas packages are not presently affected.
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