AT&T TV Now Review

Overview

AT&T TV Now is a streaming service which provides users with TV to stream both live and on demand. The Max package also offers a subscription to HBO Max, and certain packages include a month of Showtime.

There is no annual contract involved with an AT&T TV Now subscription, as users simply pay month to month and have the ability to cancel at any time. Other bonuses include the fact that you can sign up online for instant access, with no need for an installation appointment, credit check or other preparatory measures.

AT&T TV Now comes with top features such as up to 500 hours of Cloud DVR, which can be watched anytime and anywhere. The service can give users access to packages which include primetime TV, breaking news, sports and an extensive on-demand library.

Genres and channels

There are many channels to enjoy with the packages provided by AT&T TV Now. For example, the Plus package features ABC, AccuWeather, Bet, Boomerang, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, Cheddar, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, The CW, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, Fox, Fox Business, Fox News Channel, FS1, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, Hallmark Channel, HLN, MSNBC, MTV, MyNetwork TV, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, NBC, NBCSN, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, Ovation, Oxygen, Revolt, SyFy, TBS, TCM, Telemundo, TNT, TruTV, Universal Kids, USA and VH1.

There are also premiums available – namely, HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz, Epix and the Movie Extra Pack. These all come at an additional price, paid on top of the core subscription bill.

Top AT&T TV Now shows and movies

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow – A time traveller called Rip Hunter decides to form a group of talented individuals to fight a war against a disaster which threatens all of time itself.

The Affair – A series which looks at the impact two different affairs have on peoples’ lives. There is a young diner waitress and her husband, and a teacher who begins an affair with her while vacationing with his wife and kids.

Aquaman – The setting is the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, which is being ruled by King Orm. He plans to take over the world, but his brother Aquaman stands in his way.

Spongebob Squarepants – The classic kids’ cartoon which focuses on a yellow sponge called Spongebob who lives in a pineapple under the sea and works at the Krusty Krab as a fry cook.

Kids Say The Darndest Things – A comedy series which focuses on Bill Cosby having conversations with children on a wide variety of topics, getting their opinion on family, religion, politics and more.

Puppy Dog Pals – Two puppy brothers adventure around the neighbourhood, and learn lessons about working together, solving problems and friendship.

Jimmy Kimmel Live – The Emmy winning comedian provides viewers with a show full of bits, interviews with various celebrities, comics, athletes and musicians, and various other segments.

Chesapeake Shores – After finally making it out of her hometown to New York City, Abby is faced with ghosts from her past. She realises a move back to her roots may be on the cards.

Streaming library

When browsing AT&T TV Now, users will find that the interface comprises channels in alphabetical order with a grid layout showing what is on TV for the next two hours. Scrolling further along the timeline will let users plan for future programming. When clicking on a program, an image thumbnail and overview of the tile is presented. Other functions include being able to filter by genre, skip ahead to a particular day to browse the schedule or only view channels marked as favourites.

Those using the DVR menu will find it similarly intuitive. The recorded shows are displayed in list format, and it is easy to delete series or individual episodes.

Some will criticise the fact that the lists of recommended shows are not personalised according to an individual’s watch history. Instead, they are based on trending programs and curated titles chosen by editors.

It can also be difficult to flip through channels, with the default navigation being to switch through them all in alphabetical order. Viewing the menu while video is streaming means this feature takes up the screen, so some have said it could be more user-friendly in this regard.

Streaming quality

Unfortunately, reports online indicate that AT&T TV Now does not support 4K streaming with its channel offering at the time of writing. That said, there are games on Big Ten Network, FS1 and Fox which will stream in 4K on the Fox Sports app, so one option is to sign up for an AT&T TV Now plan which includes these channels and then use the Fox Sports app on a compatible 4K device – such as Xbox, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast or Roku.

Customer support

Those who are in need of customer support with AT&T TV Now have access to a range of options. For example, the online database of help articles includes sections on watching live TV and recorded shows, checking the channel lineup, getting information on compatible devices, fixing common AT&T TV app issues, recording and watching shows with cloud DVR, troubleshooting issues, and more. There is also a search bar for asking questions or searching for TV topics.

There are some options to get in touch with AT&T TV Now’s customer support services directly. There is step by step help available with online support, information on managing account settings with the myAT&T app and a link to finding answers on a range of topics around the clock in the community forums.

Finally, there are social media accounts available for further interaction – namely, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Free trial

Those who want to try out AT&T TV Now before committing to a purchase can experience the platform free of charge as part of a seven day free trial. This feature can be unlocked by new users who navigate to the site and create a new account.

When signing up, the platform will ask for a payment method so that the billing cycle can begin if the subscription isn’t cancelled. The bank will verify the payment method with pre-authorisation charges which are temporary.

Next, the account will be automatically charged each month until the user decides to cancel their subscription. If the user decides they don’t want to continue after the trial, they are advised to cancel by 7pm ET on the seventh day of it.

Plans and pricing

There are a number of packages available with AT&T TV Now. The Plus package includes over 45 channels for $55 a month, while the Max package includes over 60 channels and additional sports coverage, with HBO Max included.

These are the featured packages on the site, but there are plenty of other options. The Entertainment package provides over 65 channels priced at $93 a month, with top channels including CNN, ESPN, HGTV, Disney Junior, TBS and MSNBC.

The Choice package costs $110 per month and includes over 85 channels. Top picks include Sci, Travel, Game Show Network, Yes, The Weather Channel and Own.

Xtra is a package with over 105 channels that costs $124 a month. Top live channels include FS2, Oxygen, Golf, FXM and Sundance TV.

Meanwhile, the Ultimate package offers over 125 channels at $135 a month. Users can enjoy top picks such as Boomerang, Starz Encore Action, Nat Geo Wild, Starz Encore Classic and Starz Encore Family.

Finally, the Optimo Mas package features over 90 channels at a price of $86 a month. Users on this plan can enjoy ESPN Deportes, Fox Sports, Discovery, Univision and more.

Competitors

There are a number of streaming services out there which rival AT&T TV Now. Deciding which platform to go for is important, as ultimately you will be spending money each month on a service which you want to work well with your streaming needs.

Some commonly compared services are YouTube TV, Hulu, Sling TV, Philo and fuboTV. There is plenty to consider when comparing these options. For example, there are little considerations such as the fact that PBS is only available on YouTube TV.

Furthermore, AT&T TV Now has many channels listed which it will require an additional cost to unlock – namely, this service does not provide access to the following channels without the user paying an additional cost:

AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC World News, Big Ten Network, Bloomberg TV, CBS Sports Network, Cinemax, CMT, Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery Channel, DIY, EPIX, ESPNEWS, ESPN U, Food Network, Fox Sports 2, FYI, Golf Channel, HBO, HGTV, History, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, MLB Network, Motortrend, MTV2, NBA TV, NHL Network, Nicktoons, OWN, Paramount Network, Science, SEC Network, Showtime, Starz, Sundance TV, Tennis Channel, TLC, Travel Channel, TV Land, Viceland, Weather Channel and WE TV.

Is AT&T TV Now worth it?

There are many reasons why someone may choose to sign up for AT&T TV Now. For example, the package prices vary between $55 and $135. This means that those on various budgets can choose the package which best suits them. Furthermore, the fact there are 500 hours of DVR storage to use is an appealing prospect.

The number of channels varies between around 45 to 125 or more, so those who want a skinny package can go for the smaller package while a family may want the larger option.

Another nice perk is the fact that there are premium add-ons such as HBO Max, Showtime and Starz available. Integrating these subscriptions means that more content can be viewed in one place.

The main criticism people tend to have is with the user interface, which can sometimes be a little confusing in terms of the channel navigation. The menu overlay when switching channels can also be an unwelcome feature, as the existing stream will stop showing until it is either returned to or another channel has been selected.