Back in March AT&T announced plans for a trio of DirecTV-branded streaming services it will launch later this year, and now it’s stocking the cupboard with content. Disney recently announced that its channels (including ESPN and ABC) would be a part of the subscription packages, and tonight AT&T announced it will offer HBO & Cinemax as well. The deal is part of a renewal of HBO’s agreement for the DirecTV and U-verse services, which AT&T is calling historic because it is an “all-platform” deal covering both traditional and streaming options.
There’s still no word on exactly how much DirecTV Now or DirecTV Mobile will cost (the third element, DirecTV Preview will be a free, ad-supported product) but knowing it will have popular channels is important. Competitors like Sling TV and PlayStation Vue have filled out their offerings over the last year or so, and one way or another AT&T will need to have something for people to watch if they’re going to pay.
The press release notes HBO & Cinemax will also be a part of AT&T’s mobile video offerings, while things should stay the same for DirecTV and U-verse customers. We’ll let you know more about DirecTV Now whenever we hear about it, but all we know is that it’s still on track to launch by the end of this year.
Source: AT&T (PRNewswire)