AT&T lost around four million pay TV subscribers last year, and the company is working to lure back some of those customers by offering a rare discount on satellite TV service.
This week, the company quietly lowered its introductory price across DirecTV’s core packages by $10 a month for the first year:
- DirecTV Select (155 channels, including Nickelodeon, CNN, MTV and TNT) costs $50 a month plus taxes.
- DirecTV Entertainment (160 channels, including Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, HGTV and ESPN, but not regional sports channels) costs $55 a month plus taxes.
- DirecTV Choice (185 channels, including ESPN, Game Show Network, Travel Channel and regional sports channels) costs $60 a month plus taxes.
- DirecTV Xtra (235 channels, including National Geographic Wild, Lifetime Movie Network and FYI as well as national and regional sports channels) will cost $70 a month plus taxes.
- DirecTV Ultimate (250 channels, including CBS Sports Network, El Rey Network and regional sports channels) costs $75 a month plus taxes.
- DirecTV Premiere (330 channels including premium networks HBO, Cinemax and Showtime plus regional sports channels) costs $125 a month plus taxes.
All of the plans require a customer sign up for AutoPay, paperless billing and a two-year contract. The price of all packages increases to their regular rates — between $85 a month and $197 a month — during the second year of the two-year contract. A $5 discount for AutoPay and paperless billing goes away in the second year, too. The company is not including NFL Sunday Ticket in any of the packages.
AT&T is offering similar deals for U-Verse, which could be more attractive, especially to those who live in apartments or other housing units where installing a dish is difficult or impossible. The discount is larger too — $15 a month off normal promotional prices.
- U-Verse Family (180 channels including locals, Audience Network, Bloomberg, Cartoon Network and National Geographic) for $50 a month plus taxes.
- U-Verse U200 (370 channels, including the History Channel, FX, Fox News and Disney) for $70 a month plus taxes.
- U-Verse U300 (485 channels, including MLB Network, Nick Jr., SEC Network and Showtime) for $75 a month plus taxes.
- U-Verse U450 (550 channels, including premium networks HBO, Cinemax and Starz) for $125 a month.
Like with DirecTV, AT&T is requiring U-Verse customers enroll in AutoPay and paperless billing and sign a two-year contract to receive the promotional rates, which increase to normal rates in the second year. AT&T also charges a $10 a month “broadcast fee” for access to local channels.
The promotional deals end March 28.
