AT&T Homezone Update

[DirtyTurbin]

Dident know if this was posted yet if it was please delete. Thanks



AT&T integrates Homezone service with wireless phones, expands downloadable titles with Akimbo content.

January 8, 2007

Delivering on its commitment to connecting the three screens that many consumers value the most - the PC, the TV and the wireless phone - AT&T Inc. announced today that its AT&T Homezone customers will soon be able to manage their television recordings via wireless handsets. This new offering positions AT&T among the first major entertainment providers to offer this advanced feature.
Additionally, AT&T announced that it will expand the service's on-demand content offerings via the Internet to thousands of additional program titles when the service with Akimbo is available to customers, offering them one of the industry's most robust selections of downloadable broadband-enabled content for television. This content upgrade will be live later this month.
AT&T Homezone service integrates AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet, AT&T | DISH Network satellite television and AT&T Home Networking services via a single set-top device.
Later this month, Homezone customers will be able to view listings and to manage and schedule recordings on the Homezone receiver via compatible wireless phones and devices from wireless carriers. Today, Homezone customers can schedule and manage such recordings through a Web browser on their PCs, and they can trigger video-on-demand downloads, a future feature of wireless integration.
In addition to expanding ways to access the system remotely, AT&T has also expanded its on-demand content library to include thousands of additional titles from Akimbo. This new content builds on AT&T's numerous alliances with content providers that enable access to movies, music and photos from the Homezone receiver. These alliances include Yahoo! (for LAUNCHcast music, Movie Showtimes, AT&T Yahoo! Photos) and Web Remote Access and Movielink (for movies on demand).
"When consumers think TV, we want them to think AT&T," said Rick Welday, chief marketing officer-AT&T Consumer, "and compelling features, like wireless remote access and thousands of downloadable titles, give us an entertainment service that is beyond other video services on the market
today."

 

[josem3]

All of these are good but at what price. I always know AT&T service is more expensive than the competition but may change on the way. What I afraid is AT&T Company take over Echostar in the future with this complex services. We see now Bellsouth with AT&T, tomorrow AT&T with Echostar.

Best, Jose.

 

[Jhon69]

All of these are good but at what price. I always know AT&T service is more expensive than the competition but may change on the way. What I afraid is AT&T Company take over Echostar in the future with this complex services. We see now Bellsouth with AT&T, tomorrow AT&T with Echostar.

Best, Jose.

Don't believe that's the way AT&T will be going they are sinking big money with IPTV AT&T UVerse.When it becomes available they will change customers from DISH to UVerse.They are advertising some pretty sweet prices with packaged services.

 

[grendyl]

I heard at&t might be DirecTV. Charlie says they aren't involved in merger talks right now. at&t has invested a lot in uverse, but with DirecTV they can offer TV services in all 50 states, a beginning to getting a national footprint again.

I asked them re: what will happen to homezone customers when we get uverse (since the 1st is available here and the 2nd will be here very soon) and they basically said there is no planned migration, no release of contract, etc. essentially one hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing in that regard.

 

[Jhon69]

DirecTV? Nah don't think so think maybe Mr. Malone might want to wear that crown for awhile.You know the one that says"The King of HD" but they got to get those two satellites up first.

When AT&T first got into supplying DISH equipment and services it was at that time they proclaimed that when they got their own service up and running they would migrate their customers over to their service.Which would be IPTV UVerse.
They also proclaimed at that time that their customers were their customers not DISH's.I remember that statement well cause at that time I subbed with DISH and when I red that I thought What????.
The future is coming when the phone/TV/internet/computer/cell phone will all be rolled up and be accessed all together.It's just a matter of time before the telcos become a major player.

There has also been postings that Congress would look at a DirecTV/DISH merger in a different light now.The reason I believe is look what's happening Ma Bell is getting back together and getting into TV to go along with everything else they have/internet/cellphone.Homezone will still be needed for the outskirts but I see fiber optic where ever there is a phone line and expense permits.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I would welcome a merger between both sat services on two stipulations:


1. We use Dish hd receivers .
2. Charlie keeps running the combined company.

I do not like the way Directv doesn't care about their picture quality and puts Sports first in price, which makes the whole programming price skyrocket.

 

[jollygrunt]

I wish I could get Homezone as a stepping stone to Uverse, but since I'm not a new customer I don't yet qualify.

 

[technikal]

Prices on the Akimbo stuff via Homezone isn't bad. Most content is free. Some is priced $1-$2, and you get the keep the content for 30 days - which compares favorably to Movielink which is $3-$5 for 24 hours. Content is all over the place - best I can describe is it's essentially Youtube with a bit more professional content.

The biggest problem with Homezone is the functionality of the 'normal' DVR/Guide section. The connectity and download stuff is neat, but when you can't do standard things like search the guide by title, or sort the recordings, or record by keyword - the overall experience just isn't good. Because of that, I'm scheduled to turn off the Homezone and have a 'normal' DVR installed next week.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I had akimbo, but a bad service but I found it was very high priced.


They had a good selection of porn, but I did not like the fact you paid for it and then it expired in 30 days!