DirecTV Now, a live television streaming device by AT&T, will be available beginning Nov. 30. The telecommunications giant made the announcement at an event in New York City as it prepares to enter an increasingly saturated market for streaming services.
AT&T Entertainment's CEO John Stankey said DirecTV Now set the stage for the company's future, TechCrunch reports. "For the first time in history, we have control of our full stack," Stankey said, adding that AT&T has traditionally been weak at catering to the needs of people who no longer want cable television.
DirecTV Now was designed to appeal to millions of American "cord-cutters," people who have ditched their traditional cable subscriptions and chose to just have broadband internet, the New Yok Times reports. The service includes popular channels like AMC, the Disney Channel, TBS, and ESPN.
Because of AT&T's merger with Time Warner, DirecTV Now also has access to content from HBO, CNN, TNT, Cartoon Network, and Warner Bros. It also has rights to the NBA, MLB, and March Madness.
As well as featuring channels and shows from well-known brands, DirecTV Now will have its own programs. These include "Taylor Swift Now," a 13-episode series featuring the popular singer and songwriter, and "Hello Sunshine," a show for women by Reese Witherspoon's new production company.
DirecTV Now's streaming service, starting at $35 a month for 60 channels, is not only for television, but also for mobile devices and tablets. It will be competing at much cheaper rates with the likes of SlingTV by Dish, PlayStation's Vue, and Hulu's upcoming live TV streaming service.
Users can cancel their subscriptions anytime, but AT&T will offer free streaming players as perks to people who commit to it for a certain amount of time. DirecTV Now users who pay for three months will get an Apple TV, while those who sign up for a month's subscription will be entitled to an Amazon Fire TV stick.
