DIRECTV NOW Review, Channels, and Cost

UPDATE:  AT&T  has rebranded DIRECTV NOW.  DIRECTV NOW is now AT&T TV NOW.

DirecTV Now has reduced the number of packages down to 2 and the cheapest option starts at $50 a month. In a time where cord cutters are looking to go more a la cart, DirecTV Now has gone the opposite direction and has bundled HBO into both available plans.

Furthermore, the new plans will not carry cable favorites like A&E, Lifetime, Discovery, Food Network, OWN,  AMC, IFC, and WeTV.

Basically, DirecTV Now will be a lot more expensive, with fewer package options, and fewer channels. It’s difficult to even recommend the service as an option to cord cutters.

For current customers, AT&T confirmed that the prices of all DirecTV Now base packages will increase by $10 per month effective April 12, 2019. That’s the second price increase in less than a year.  If you had the “Live a Little package those price hikes amount to a 43% price increase.

Customers with those packages — Live a Little, Just Right, Go Big, Gotta Have It, and the Spanish-language Todo y Más will retain their current lineups as long as they keep the service.

What is DIRECTV NOW?

DIRECTV NOW is a live TV streaming service from AT&T that offers most of the channel you would receive through a more traditional pay TV services. It’s essentially a way to watch live TV online without needing cable. I go over the features of the service in this post, but you can try the service out yourself through a 1-week free trial.

The service will allow customers to watch 2 streams simultaneously per subscription and includes a cloud-based DVR. An additional 3rd stream can be added for an additional $5 per month.

You will need some type of internet access once you drop your current pay-TV provider. Check out this article on home internet providers for more information. Let’s take a look at the channels available on this new streaming service.

DIRECTV NOW Channels

With DIRECTV NOW,  you can stream the broadcast networks ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox in many local markets.

DIRECTV NOW streams local broadcast affiliates in over 200 markets. Where local channels aren’t available customers will be able to watch prime time shows the next day on-demand. You can even watch your local network channels when you are outside your local market. Check the table in the section below to see which local broadcast affiliates are available in your city.

When it comes to channels like AMC, HGTV, and Discovery, DIRECTV NOW simulates traditional pay-TV services better than most solutions out there. They offer just about every channel you can find on cable. However, the channels are offered through three package ties.

DIRECTV NOW Packages and Prices

The table and information below provide an overview of DIRECTV NOWs packages and prices.

Package	Price	Channels
Plus	$50/month	40+
Max	$70/month	50+

Plus

The “Plus” tier is priced at $50 per month and contains ABC, AccuWeather, Audience, Boomerang, Bravo, Cartoon Network, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nick, Nick Jr., VH1, CBS, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, CW, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX, FOX Business Network, FOX News Channel, FS1, Freeform, FX, FX Movie Channel, FXX, Hallmark Channel, HBO, HBO Family, HBO Latino, HLN, MSNBC, My Network TV, Nat Geo World, National Geographic Channel, NBC, NBCSN, Ovation, Oxygen, Pop, Revolt, SYFY, TBS, TCM, Telemundo, TNT, TruTV, Universal Kids, Universo, USA Network,  and VME.

Max

The Max tier will include ABC, AccuWeather, Audience, Big Ten Network, Boomerang, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, Cinemax, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, CW, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FOX Business Network, FOX News Channel, FS1, FS2, Freeform, FX, FX Movie Channel, FXX, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nick, Nick Jr., VH1, CMT, Paramount, TV Land, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, HBO, HBO Family, HBO Latino, HLN, Longhorn Network, MSG, MSG+, MSNBC, My Network TV, Nat Geo World, National Geographic Channel, NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel, Ovation, Oxygen, Pop, Revolt, SEC Network, SNY, SYFY, TBS, TCM, Telemundo, TNT, TruTV, Universal Kids, Universo, USA Network, VME, and Yes Network

Regional sports networks will only available only in certain markets

Cloud DVR

DIRECTV NOW has made its cloud DVR available to all customers. The free version of the cloud DVR is included with all tiers of service and includes the following:

• Skip commercials on a whim
• Stream at home or on-the-go
• Get 20 hrs of digital recording time
• Keep your favorites for up to 1 month

Premium Channels

Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax can be added to any tier for just $11 each. HBO is included in both the Plus and Max packages.

Local Channels Streaming on DIRECTV NOW

City	State	ABC	CBS	FOX	NBC
Ames	IA		CBS
Atlanta	GA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Baltimore	MD	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Boston	MA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Chicago	IL	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Cleveland	OH	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Columbus	OH	ABC	CBS	Fox
Dallas	TX	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Dayton	OH	ABC	CBS	Fox
Denver	CO	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Des Moines	IA		CBS
Detroit	MI	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Ft. Lauderdale	FL	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Ft. Worth	TX	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Greensboro	NC	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Hagerstown	MD	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Houston	TX	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Hutchinson	KS		CBS
Jacksonville	FL	ABC	CBS	Fox
Kansas City	MO	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Knoxville	TN		CBS
Lexington	KY	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Little Rock	AR	ABC	CBS
Los Angeles	CA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Louisville	KY	ABC	CBS	Fox
Miami	FL	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Minneapolis	MN	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Modesto	CA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Nashville	TN	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
New Orleans	LA		CBS		NBC
New York	NY	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Oakland	CA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Oklahoma City	OK	ABC	CBS	Fox
Pheonix	AZ	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Philadelphia	PA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Pine Bluff	AR	ABC	CBS
Pittsburgh	PA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Roanoke	VA	ABC	CBS		NBC
Sacramento	CA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Salem	NC	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
San Antonio	TX	ABC	CBS	Fox
San Francisco	CA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
San Jose	CA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Seattle	WA	ABC	CBS		NBC
St. Louis	MO	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
St. Paul	MN	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
St. Petersburg	FL	ABC	CBS	Fox
Stockton	CA	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Tampa	FL	ABC	CBS	Fox
Tulsa	OK	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Washington	DC	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Wichita	KS	ABC	CBS	Fox
Winston	NC	ABC	CBS	Fox	NBC
Albany	NY				NBC
Albuquerque	NM	ABC			NBC
Anchorage	AK			Fox
Asheville	NC	ABC			NBC
Austin	TX	ABC		Fox
Bangor	ME
Bend	OR			Fox
Biloxi	MS			Fox
Birmingham	AL	ABC			NBC
Bozeman	MT
Brunswick	GA	ABC		Fox
Buffalo	NY	ABC		Fox
Butte	MT
Charleston	WV	ABC		Fox	NBC
Charolette	NC	ABC		Fox	NBC
Cincinnati	OH	ABC			NBC
Columbia	MO			Fox
Columbus	MS			Fox
Daytona Beach	FL	ABC		Fox	NBC
Durham	NC	ABC			NBC
El Centro	CA
Eugene	OR			Fox
Evansville	IN
Fresno	CA	ABC		Fox
Ft. Myers	FL	ABC		Fox	NBC
Ft. Pierce	FL	ABC			NBC
Gainsville	FL			Fox
Grand Rapids	MI	ABC		Fox
Great Falls	MT
Green Bay	WI	ABC		Fox	NBC
Green Bay	WI			Fox
Greensville	SC	ABC			NBC
Gulfport	MS			Fox
Harrisburg	PA			Fox	NBC
Hartford	CT			Fox	NBC
Honolulu	HI	ABC
Huntington	WV	ABC		Fox	NBC
Indianapolis	IN	ABC		Fox	NBC
Jefferson City	MO			Fox
Joplin	MO			Fox
Juneau	AK			Fox
Kalamazoo	MI	ABC		Fox
Lafeyette	LA			Fox
Lancaster	PA			Fox	NBC
Las Vegas	NV	ABC
Lima	OH
Melbourne	FL				NBC
Memphis	TN			Fox
Milwaukee	WI	ABC		Fox	NBC
Missoula	MT
Mobile	AL	ABC
Myrtle Beach	SC			Fox
Naples	FL	ABC		Fox	NBC
New Bedford	MA	ABC
New Haven	CT			Fox	NBC
Newport News	VA	ABC
Norfolk	VA	ABC
Orlando	FL	ABC		Fox	NBC
Palm Springs	CA			Fox
Pensacola	FL	ABC
Petersburg	VA			Fox
Portland	OR	ABC			NBC
Providence	RI	ABC
Raleigh	NC	ABC			NBC
Richmond	VA			Fox
Salt Lake City	UT			Fox	NBC
San Diego	CA	ABC		Fox	NBC
San Luis Obispo	CA			Fox
Santa Barbra	CA			Fox
Sante Fe	NM	ABC			NBC
Schenectady	NY				NBC
Scranton	PA			Fox
Spartanburg	SC	ABC			NBC
Springfield	MO			Fox
St. Joseph	MO			Fox
Tacoma	WA	ABC		Fox	NBC
Troy	NY				NBC
Tupelo	MS			Fox
Visalia	CA			Fox
Visalla	CA	ABC
West Palm Beach	FL	ABC			NBC
Wilkes Barre	PA			Fox
Yuma	AZ

DIRECTV NOW and AT&T Data Usage

As a benefit to AT&T data plan customers, DIRECTV NOW will not count against their data usage. This practice is referred to as “zero rating” and allows AT&T to provide preferential treatment to their service leaving internet service providers that don’t own TV networks at a competitive disadvantage.  But I digress.

Free HBO for AT&T Mobile Customers

AT&T Unlimited Plus customers can enjoy free HBO with their wireless plan. According to an AT&T press release, starting Friday, September 15th, 2017 AT&T, Unlimited Choice customers will enjoy the same benefit. AT&T Mobile customers can watch HBO through the DIRECTV NOW and HBO GO apps.

Furthermore, AT&T mobile customers get a $25 monthly bill credit that can be used towards a DIRECTV NOW subscription. This means AT&T mobile customers can get the DIRECTV NOW live a little package with Free HBO for only $10 a month. I know that seems too good to be true, but it is.

With the new iPhone being released it may make sense to switch your wireless service to AT&T and get HBO and DIRECTV NOW for $10 per month. Check out AT&T Wireless offers.

Sign up for a 1-week free trial to DIRECTV NOW

DIRECTV NOW Supported Devices

DIRECTV NOW is supported on the following devices:

• Roku
• 4th Gen Apple TV
• Google Chromecast, 2nd gen and higher
• Amazon Fire TV
• Fire TV Stick
• iOS devices
• Android
• Chrome and Safari browsers

DIRECTV NOW Review Rating

Due to the lack of channels on the service, combined with the expense, I rate DIRECT TV Now 2 stars out of 5.

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