u-verse
Latest
AT&T reports Q1 earnings: $31.8 billion in revenue, 5.5 million smartphones sold
Sure, there was no new iPhone to boost its smartphone sales this quarter, but the carrier still managed to push 5.5 million of the devices out the door, while activating 4.3 million Apple-branded handsets. The company beat analyst predictions by raking in $31.8 billion in revenue and pocketing $3.6 billion of that as income, up from $3.4 billion over the same time period last year. Things are looking good for the company as both U-Verse and its wireless business grew revenues dramatically -- by 38.2 percent and 19.9 percent, respectively. Growth on the cellular side is in large part thanks to the 726,000 net subscriber adds. Of particular interest is the growth in so-called "branded-computing" subscriptions, which includes tethering plans and tablets. There, AT&T has seen a growth of 70 percent over last year, reaching 5.8 million customers (including 460,000 added last quarter). For more financial fun check out the PR after the break.
TiVo releases Q4 results, announces transcoder and IP set-top box on the way
Today TiVo announced its earnings for Q4 2011 and the full year, however the most interesting note was word of a few new boxes on the way. From the sound of things, the company will deliver a four stream transcoder similar to the one we saw demonstrated at CES (pictured above) capable of dishing out video to multiple devices (phones, tablets, etc.) within the home simultaneously. Also on the way is an IP set-top box coming to retail that sounds very much like the TiVo Preview multiroom extender, however it could include access to internet video services as well. As mentioned on Tech of the Hub, CEO Tom Rogers' statements indicate the transcoder will enable both live streaming and DirecTV Nomad-style "high speed" sideloading of recorded content for offline viewing. More concrete are its positive numbers from the partnership with Virgin Media in the UK, and progress on a plan for Pace to develop TiVo-compatible set-top boxes for cable operators here and abroad. The Comcast partnership is also apparently progressing, with VOD access in beta trials and preparing to launch "soon" in the San Francisco area.
AT&T U-Verse iPad app combines DVR control and companion features
It's been over a year since we saw AT&T first demo a U-verse connected tablet app with second screen companion features it called "ComplemenTV" and last week it officially launched for the iPad. AT&T U-verse for iPad can act as a remote control for any the company's DVRs in the home, as well as pull in extra info about the content that's playing. If you're away from home, it can still pull up guide data, program the DVR, or play a selection of VOD shows just like the U-verse's other mobile apps. what it doesn't have however, unlike many other pay-TV tablet apps out there, is live TV streaming of any kind. Of course, it is a free add-on, so check after the break for a quick video demo or hit iTunes to download it yourself.
AT&T announces API Catalog: U-Verse, payments, wireless and more
We're live at AT&T's Developer Summit keynote here at CES, where the carrier has just announced a revamped U-Verse API catalog. According to the company, the new U-Verse catalog features APIs that support payments, MMS/SMS, location, device capabilities and AT&T's mHealth app. The payment API utilizes HTML5, with revenue split 70 / 30 between developers and AT&T. The entire collection will be available through cloud services like Windows Azure, and developers will have to pay a $99 registration fee to get started, giving them unlimited access to the catalog through the end of 2012. The APIs will also allow devs to build apps that let you check out what's playing on TV, and use them as a remote control. There's also support for the Twonky Beam Browser app, which allows users to beam content directly from their tablets to a U-Verse equipped TV.
TiVo, AT&T patent settlement will send at least $215 million TiVo's way through 2018
After leveraging its DVR patent portfolio into a $500 million settlement with Dish Network and Echostar TiVo has made it rain again, cutting a mutual patent licensing deal with AT&T that settles their litigation and will result in at least $215 million heading its way through 2018. Additional license fees are possible based on AT&T's U-verse DVR subscriber base, so besides the $51 million up front and recurring payments after that, there could be even more money at stake. Despite intervention on its behalf by Microsoft, AT&T apparently decided caving was the best option. Next we'll see what happens next in a similar battle with Verizon and whether TiVo decides to continue developing its products or just sit back and let the licensing money roll in. CEO Tom Rogers said in a statement (included after the break) that it provides TiVo rights to "innovate TiVo products and services under license from AT&T", although if it were us we'd make the call after taking a Scrooge McDuck-style dive into a pool filled with Dish and AT&T's money.
AT&T, DirecTV sign deal extension, guarantee bundle services through 2015
AT&T renewed its corporate vows with DirecTV yesterday, signing a three-year contract extension to bring its suite of co-branded satellite TV, broadband and voice services through March 2015. The bundle will be offered across the 22 states where AT&T currently offers residential broadband and voice services -- and, according to a company spokeswoman, where the carrier's U-verse video service is not yet available. Speaking to Broadcasting & Cable, the rep went on to say that the renewed deal shouldn't be interpreted as an indicator of how rapidly the U-verse rollout is progressing, and that its service may eventually be offered alongside DirecTV's operations -- which, as we found out this week, aren't doing too bad at all. More details can be gleaned from the PR, after the break.
AT&T U-verse set-tops go wireless, free you to herniate yourself moving your HDTV around
Chances are, you put your TV in the most convenient spot based on where the requisite cables are feeding into your abode. And putting a set in a new room usually means someone is breaking out a drill. Well, starting October 31st, AT&T U-verse customers will no longer be constrained by wires! (Besides HDMI and power cords, that is.) The company's new wireless receiver pairs with your AT&T-issued residential gateway and pulls in broadcasts over WiFi. What the provider claims is the first consumer wireless receiver of its type should simplify installation and free customers from the worry of running coax around their homes. You could even drag your big screen out to the patio and try to enjoy the "big game" under the glare of the sun. Just don't make lugging your 42-incher around a habit -- hernias aren't covered by the warranty. The receivers will be available to order on Monday for a one-time fee of $49 and a $7-a-month rental fee there after. Check out the (bizarre) demo video and PR after the break.
BuddyTV app gains control over AT&T U-verse TV boxes
When last we checked in with the BuddyTV Guide app (in July), the capable recommendations and program search in the app were plenty useful. The main drawback, unfortunately, was that you could not use it to control your TV and set-top box unless you had a Google TV-powered setup or a TiVo Series 3. Other cable or satellite providers' tuners didn't have an API that BuddyTV could use to change channels or set DVR timers. Good news, then, for subscribers on AT&T's U-verse television services; you can now control your receiver with BuddyTV. Anything you could do with your physical remote should be possible with the virtual remote living in your iPhone, and since there's no IR blaster involved you can theoretically change the channels from anywhere you happen to be (much to the delight, no doubt, of your roommate/spouse/kids/pets). I'd expect to see more BuddyTV integrations with other IP-enabled TV service providers soon, since you can already control Dish Network and DirecTV receivers with their own apps, and likewise for major cable providers. BuddyTV is free on the App Store. There's a little video demo below; enjoy.
U-verse TV gets social with help from Miso, TV Foundry, Wayvin and BuddyTV Guide
The fact is watching TV has always been social, which of course means it was only a matter of time before technology removed the physical proximity requirement from the mix. We've seen said requirement disappear from various content providers and now it's subscribers to AT&T U-verse's turn. The initial slew of options include Miso, TV Foundry, Wayvin and BuddyTV Guide. All four let you share what you're watching while at the same time help you discover new content by being exposed to what your friends are watching. Of course none of them are exactly Facebook and U-verse isn't anywhere near the most popular content provider in the country, but we're glad to see someone pushing hard into social TV that moves beyond just sending status updates via our remote.
U-verse on Xbox 360 is getting upgraded in November, but will require XBL Gold
The good news for everyone anyone using their Xbox 360 as a AT&T U-verse set-top box, is that it will be upgraded as a part of the new dashboard update coming this fall. that means support for the integrated search, new UI and control via voice or gestures with Kinect. The bad news? After the update, it will only work if you're also a subscriber to Xbox Live Gold. No problem if you were already shelling out in order to get your Gears 3 co-op on, but not so awesome if you weren't planning on buying the gaming package just to watch some TV. Giant Bomb has talked to Microsoft and of the new services, some, like the BBC, may be accessible without a paid-up Gold pass, but for HBO Go, Dailymotion and others you'll need to toss some cash Redmond's way. To ease the pain, AT&T is tossing a one-time $60 credit towards its users with the package -- still no word on whether or not you'll need to pay that installation fee for a new setup after the upgrade goes through.
AT&T offering credit to Uverse subscribers for Xbox Live Gold
We already knew that some of the new services coming to Microsoft's Xbox 360 TV service would require an Xbox Live Gold subscription but, according to a Giant Bomb tipster, it looks like some previously Silver services will soon be turning Gold as well. One company apparently making the alchemical leap is AT&T U-verse, which will require Xbox Live Gold starting this November. The company is apparently sending notice of the change to its customers and offering a one-time $60 bill credit in order to soften the blow. In theory, the $60 saved on your AT&T bill can be applied towards an Xbox Live Gold subscription. Of course, if you already have Gold – a likely possibility given the effort required to get U-verse on the ol' Xbox – it sounds like you'll have an extra sixty bucks to play with next month. [Image: Giant Bomb]
Showtime launches Anytime streaming portal, social iPad app
Just in time for the return of everyone's favorite serial killer, Showtime Anytime soft-launched recently, bringing online access to the network's library of movies, TV shows and more. Multichannel News reports AT&T U-verse subscribers are the first to gain access, although this same content has already been streaming on Comcast's Xfinity TV website and app. It's no HBO Go yet -- more cable companies and a few mobile apps will be necessary to match its rival there -- but the approach is the same, after pulling its shows from Netflix this TV Everywhere offering hopes to add enough value to keep viewers on the traditional pay-TV train a little longer. While there's no self-branded streaming app yet, the channel has also launched a Showtime Social iPad app to keep viewers tied in with their friends and other viewers while they watch -- let us know if it makes Dexter any more / less creepy.
AT&T Foundry innovation center opens its doors in Palo Alto to help devs do what they do
We've heard of keeping up with the Joneses, but this is getting ridiculous. First it was Verizon, then Vodafone, and now Ma Bell -- with an assist from Ericsson -- has built an innovation center in Silicon Valley. This new center completes the triumvirate of AT&T Foundry facilities (the other two are in Texas and Israel), and is a part of the company's strategy to accelerate the process of developing and delivering new products to its customers. Right now, there are over 100 projects in development in Palo Alto, and AT&T is looking to add more. Those who are chosen gain access to AT&T's networks and expertise to ensure that new projects play nice with all of the company's gear, and it's already produced a few things that were on display at the center's grand opening. Want a sneak peek at what's in AT&T's innovation pipeline? Read on past the break to get it. %Gallery-133819%
New Mediaroom clients to bring Microsoft's TV platform everywhere this year
The days of being tied to a traditional TV to watch your favorite shows is becoming less and less of a dream -- at least for Mediaroom 2.0 users, like those who subscribe to AT&T U-Verse. It hasn't even been a full year since Xbox 360 owners were first able to launch a U-Verse blade to watch TV, but it has been about nine months when we first heard rumors of Mediaroom clients for Windows Media Center (aka Monaco), Silverlight (aka Taos) and Windows Phone (aka Rome) would see the light of day. A recent post on William Zhang's blog, a Microsoft employee, confirms the rumored code names in addition to giving us reason to believe those using Mediaroom 2.0 software might still realize the three screen dream by the end of 2011 after all.
AT&T abruptly drops ESPN 3D from U-verse during the X-Games citing high price, low demand
Support by AT&T U-verse for the fledgling ESPN 3D channel always seemed halfhearted, while it was one of the providers to carry the channel at launch it was the only one at that time to levy a $10 fee for the privilege of viewing. The good news for subscribers is that $10 fee is gone, but the bad news is the channel has exited stage left along with it yesterday, before the last night of ESPN's big X-Games broadcast in 3D with no apparent warning. AT&T's reason for the move follows after the break, which lays out the case that even despite interested viewers chipping in their Hamiltons it has decided with there's not enough demand to support the "high cost" of ESPN 3D. Slow down on ringing the death knell for 3D everywhere however, since AT&T is still hanging onto its 3D VOD movies, for now. Its willingness to make the rare move of dropping one of the sports leaders offerings definitely speaks to the niche status of 3D, but experience suggests this comes down to a dollars and cents decision across the entire swath of the ever growing ESPN / ABC / Disney family. [Thanks, Larry]
Verizon, AT&T celebrate subscriber growth, new features rolled out in Q2
When earnings for AT&T and Verizon came out we mostly focused on their cellphone related business, but both are also major players in the pay-TV space these days. Verizon's FiOS TV segment (minus the parts sacrificed to Frontier) added 184,000 customers in the last quarter, bringing it to a total of 3.4 million subscribers and crossing over 30 percent of potential penetration. AT&T's U-verse TV added 202,000 subscribers and reached 3.4 million in total, while also rolling out a few new features. We'll have to wait until next week to get most of the other pay-TV numbers, but who's betting there will be a new round of "cable cutting" predictions to go around?
ISP's agree on Copyright Alert System, plan to notify you to death for piracy infringements
Too little, too late, we're afraid. For the past decade or so, the RIAA (amongst others) have spent every waking hour figuring out how to best sue and frighten every internet-connected human that even dares think about an illegal download. Now that said practice has failed miserably, it's finally resorting to something sensible. The entity announced today that AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision have teamed up with the RIAA and MPAA in order to agree upon a six-stage notification system that'll electronically alert internet users whenever their account is used for wrongful downloading. It's actually not all that much different than the systems that have been in place at Suddenlink for what feels like eons, but at least this creates a standard protocol that the whole lot can adhere to. Oh, and before you ask -- under no circumstances will any of these notices result in termination of your broadband connection. There's no way an ISP would agree to such a thing, and indeed, they haven't here. The full run-down can be delved into below, but it's worth noting that no extra "watching" procedures are being put into place; your ISP will only drop you a line if a content overlord asks 'em to. Good times, no?
AT&T U-verse Troubleshoot and Resolve app brings tech support via set-top box
The latest interactive addition from AT&T for users of its U-verse IPTV service isn't going to enhance Wimbledon or the Masters, but it might help fix picture issues. For things that just need a settings tweak, like the aspect ratio being off, it can walk users through the fix and for things that are more complicated it can request a call from tech support. There's a breezy video demo to give you an idea of what to expect embedded above or they can find it under the "help" menu once the feature reaches their area.
AT&T U-verse Total Home DVR adds pause/rewind live TV feature on multiroom extenders
Spring is usually the time we see AT&T refresh the features on its U-Verse Total Home DVR and the latest update gives users the ability to pause and rewind live TV no matter which TV they're watching. Previously, this was only available if you were watching on a TV connected to a DVR, but now users can control playback from any room even if the DVR is somewhere else. According to the press release it's only up and running in a couple of cities (Grand Rapids, MI and Mobile, AL) right now, but should roll out everywhere over the next few months. Check after the break for the press release with more details or on the UverseUsers.com forum thread about the Phase 3 rollout.
PSA: AT&T DSL and U-Verse landline internet caps begin tomorrow, if you can see this website
Tomorrow is May 2nd, 2011, and you know what that means -- tomorrow is the day that AT&T will impose data caps on DSL and U-Verse Internet, and begin tallying up overage fees. At least, that was the plan on March 18th -- when the company formally announced 150GB DSL and 250GB U-Verse caps -- but even if you're a paying customer who chows down several hundred gigabytes in a month, you may not have to worry about paying extra right away. AT&T specified that folks like yourself will have access to an online tool to self-police your usage before the company even begins to calculate the cost of your formerly all-you-can-eat bandwidth buffet, and as you can see in the picture above, the tool isn't quite ready for public consumption across the entire country. Scoot on over to our source link, enter your AT&T ID, and if you see the same, perhaps you won't have to cancel your 700-hour Star Trek marathon quite yet.
