US telecoms giant AT&T is set to unveil its DirecTV Now offering today, making it the latest OTT entrant in the US market.
DirecTV Now will launch over the coming days and will cost from US$35 a year, competing with the likes of Netflix and Dish Network’s Sling TV.
AT&T’s new service will offer on-demand programming and access to more than 100 live streaming channels after the firm agreed deals with firms such as 21st Century Fox and Walt Disney.
A deal with CBS is yet to be agreed but agreements have been secured with HBO operator Time Warner, the company it is poised to acquire for US$86bn.
US president-elect Donald Trump has, however, said he would block the merger on the grounds of competition, although it remains unclear if this will happen.
AT&T, which bought DirecTV last year for almost US$50bn, is already the biggest pay TV provider in the US with more than 25 million subscribers and is now seeking to tap into so-called cord-cutters avoiding cable contracts.
The telecoms firm is also hoping to bundle the service with broadband plans in a bid to cut churn rates and attract new customers.
It will also allow subscribers to use wireless data for free when using DirecTV Now, providing a notable advantage compared with services such as Netflix and prompting concerns over AT&T’s market power.
Source: http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2016/11/28/russia-eyes-ott-foreign-ownership-limit/