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AT&T slings Total Home DVR to Connecticut
Houston and San Diego -- hope you enjoyed your time at the top, as Connecticut has swooped in and stolen away the limelight. As of now, CT-based U-verse customers can take advantage of all the niceties that come with Total Home DVR. At this rate, we'd suspect that AT&T will have its entire US footprint covered with the software before the year's end, but we wouldn't recommend holding your breath or anything.[Thanks, Anthony]
AT&T's U-verse TV notches high ranks in J.D. Power study
Aside from the recent compression bit, we haven't heard a whole lot of negative things about AT&T's U-verse. In the same breath, we'd like to add that we haven't heard a tremendous amount of praise either, which leads us to believe it's about as good as every other middle-of-the-road carrier out there. Clearly, those assumptions are remarkably misguided, as AT&T has pumped out a release tooting its own horn over the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction Study. In the three regions where it was critiqued, U-verse TV ranked highest in customer satisfaction, with the service receiving particularly high marks in the "offerings and promotions factor and the performance and reliability factor." So, the question beckons: agree, or disagree?
U-verse survey hints at new set-top-box, bolstered HD lineup
Given that AT&T still hasn't rolled its Total Home DVR software out to each of its markets yet, we're having a tough time believing a new set-top-box is just around the bend. Skeptical though we may be, a couple of subscribers have confirmed receipt of an interesting new survey that asked if they would subscribe to "a new STB" that supported the aforementioned TH DVR service, included IR capability and could handle digital programming including HDTV and Dolby 5.1. In addition to that, it asked if the respondent would be willing to cough up an extra $4 for the U400 package or an extra $10 for a total of 90 high-def channels. Call us crazy, but we're thinking that "90" figure is going to be stuck in your head as you wish, hope and pray for your HD lineup to bloom. Good luck with that whole "patience" thing.[Thanks, Anthony]
AT&T now offering U-verse in Flint and Saginaw, Michigan
AT&T's footprint in Michigan is growing larger, as both Flint and Saginaw-area residents now have yet another option when it comes to programming. AT&T's U-verse TV, high-speed internet and U-verse Voice are now available in select parts of nearly 30 local communities, including Flint, Midland, Saginaw and others. As it tends to do, the provider has vowed to make it available in more locales in the coming months, though it doesn't provide any clarity beyond that. If you're frustrated with your current carrier and you call either of the aforesaid cities home, give AT&T a call and see if it's time for a momentous change in your life.
AT&T takes Total Home DVR to Houston and San Diego
We've a feeling we'll soon be unable to keep up with all the Total Home DVR rollouts, but we aren't complaining one bit about the speed at which AT&T is getting it out there. Hot on the heels of Austin, Fresno, and a handful of other cities getting gifted, AT&T has quietly given Houston, Texas and San Diego, California residents the ability to watch recorded shows on connected TVs anywhere in the house. Dollars to donuts a few more markets get lit up before October dawns.[Thanks, Artur and Anthony]
AT&T celebrates one year of U-verse in Ohio, promises further expansion
AT&T has made a habit of patting itself on the posterior whenever it reaches the one-year mark in U-verse deployment at a certain locale, but given that it also took the time to reiterate its $500 million investment in Ohio this go 'round, we figured we'd let you toss on a party hat and join in. Over the past year, U-verse TV has been made available to 600,000 living units in Ohio, and according to the company, it's planning to "invest in fiber network upgrades and further broadband deployment" across the state. As it stands, U-verse is available in parts of nearly 200 Ohio communities -- let's see how much that number changes over the next 12 months, shall we?
AT&T silently activates Total Home DVR in Austin, Texas
AT&T already beamed its Total Home DVR software -- which enables U-verse users to watch recorded shows on other connected televisions around the house -- to the Dallas / Fort Worth area. As its expansion efforts continue, a local in Austin has informed us that the carrier has delivered it to him as well, though completely unannounced. We'll give you one guess as to if he's complaining.[Thanks, Tom]
AT&T signs on to distribute Move-enabled video content
It's still a touch unclear to us exactly what this means for end-users, but AT&T has just inked a deal with Move Networks that will enable it to "deliver Move-enabled video content to companies and their users." The release states that Move Networks technology allows "media and entertainment companies to deliver live and on-demand high-definition programming to computers over the internet in a true television-like experience," so we're wondering if AT&T won't start offering some type of HD content via the web. Then again, this whole agreement may be focused on the business sector, so we lowly consumers may never be able to take advantage. Guess we'll see in time, huh?[Thanks, Anthony]
AT&T takes Total Home DVR to Los Angeles, St. Louis and Fresno
We're hesitant to say that the flood gates are open, but it looks like AT&T is pushing its Total Home DVR software out at a pretty regular clip. Just days after introducing it in the Bay Area and merely hours after dumping it on Dallas / Fort Worth residents, AT&T is now bringing the U-verse update to customers in Los Angeles, Fresno and St. Louis. In short, the software refresh enables users to play back any recorded SD or HD program on any connected TV in their home at no extra charge. Who's up for placing bets on the next locale to get the good news?
AT&T gets official with Total Home DVR in Dallas / Fort Worth
No surprises here, but AT&T has done its duty by pumping out a press release to match up with information discovered late last week. As of now, the recently released Total Home DVR software is available to U-verse subscribers in the Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas area, and if you're curious as to what that adds, you can catch up right here. Hey AT&T, why not just present us with a nice, neat time table so the rest of your users aren't just in the dark? Thanks in advance.[Thanks, Anthony]
AT&T U-Verse cabinets pop up in Winston-Salem, NC
It's the case of the mysteriously appearing U-verse cabinets all over again, and this time it's taking the Triad by storm. The images you see above are of an AT&T utility cabinet at the corner of Peace Haven Road and Mountain View Road in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Our tipster (and photographer) dug a little deeper and asked a local AT&T store manager to "explain" the in-store U-verse display, only to find that the manager was expecting AT&T to launch U-verse services in the area by "early next year." We knew AT&T was spending some serious dough in the Carolinas, and truthfully, we'll be stoked to see said investment finally lead to something tangible. Now, how soon before the company strings U-verse on down to the Triangle?[Thanks, Prime]
AT&T launches HomeManager smart landline phone system
Juicing up landline phones with internet connectivity and large touchscreen displays isn't exactly a new idea, but AT&T's new three-piece HomeManager system might finally bring it into the mainstream. The Samsung-built HomeManager Frame is the highlight, with a seven-inch touchscreen that enables features like visual voice mail, address book synchronization with certain AT&T cell phones, Yellow Pages, and other internet-enabled content like weather and news, while the HomeManager Handset carries a similar interface over to a more traditional form factor with a smaller color screen, and the HomeManager Base serves as the heart of the system. It certainly looks nifty -- the Frame's interface seems nice and quick -- but just as with OpenFrame, we're not really sure who's in that crossover zone between people who want this kind of gear and people who still have landlines. We'll find out soon -- HomeManager is available now for AT&T customers in Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles for $299, with more to follow. Check a quick video hands-on after the break.Read - HomeManager siteRead - 3Screens hands-on
AT&T will increase HD compression on U-verse
Good news, U-verse fans, you'll be upgrading from the current 2 HD / 2 SD video stream system to three live HD streams in 2009. The (potentially) bad news is that comes with the price of additional compression, as AT&T's IPTV service squeezes its MPEG-4 video streams down to 5 Mbps from a current size of 6-8 Mbps, according to CTO John Donovan. Count another bonus as the Total Home DVR will throw as many as seven video streams around the house, up from the current five. With a last mile DSL strategy that gives it less breathing room than Verizon's FiOS, there's only one way to add more streams, but is there going to be a PQ price to pay? We'll find out soon, and don't expect AT&T to stop there, Multichannel News quotes Donovan saying encoders currently in development could reduce bandwidth even further.
U-verse Total Home DVR comes to St. Louis and Dallas / Fort Worth
Considering that St. Louis, Missouri was one of the first locales to receive 2 HD / 2 SD from AT&T, we suppose it's no real shock to hear that some residents of that city are already sucking down the update. Announced earlier this month for the Bay Area, AT&T is apparently rolling its Total Home DVR software out to at least two more major metros: St. Louis and Dallas / Fort Worth. The carrier told us that the rest of its markets would get blessed soon, but we'll admit, we didn't figure "soon" to mean "next week." Any others out there getting notification of the update on their set-top-box?[Thanks, Anthony]Read - Total Home DVR to St. LouisRead - Total Home DVR to Dallas / Fort Worth
Conway, Arkansas next in line for AT&T's U-verse
U-verse is already available in select parts of the Natural State, but if you had any doubts about AT&T's eagerness to expand, we've now learned that Conway is next on the list. If / when the service arrives (there's no apparent time table for a launch), the fiber-based service will compete directly with local cable company Conway Corp., and CEO Richie Arnold isn't worried about the newcomer moving to town. As it stands, the Conway City Council and AT&T still have to agree on a "fee to be paid the city from profits gathered by AT&T for video services equitable to that paid by Conway Corp.," and after that, things should be good to go.
Reuters: AT&T planning to integrate iPhone with U-verse
Reuters is reporting that AT&T is planning to capitalize on their iPhone exclusivity in the US and link it with their broadband and video service U-verse. Eventually this could allow U-verse subscribers to listen to their iPhone voicemail on their TVs or download shows from their DVRs to their iPhones. And taking a page from Apple, they're also talking about a remote control application for the iPhone to control the DVR, etc.I think this sounds like an interesting value-added addition for AT&T customers. The main problem is that U-verse just isn't that widely available. Would you switch to U-verse to get this kind of iPhone integration?[via MacNN]
AT&T talks about linking iPhone with U-verse, home control
We've already seen that Apple's iPhone is a mighty fine home controller, but it looks as if AT&T bigwigs are just now getting wind of that. At a recent event where the company showcased some of its newly developed technology, it talked up eventually linking the iPhone and its fiber-based U-verse service. More specifically, the iPhone could be used "as a remote control," and iPhone owners could also listen to voicemails on their television or watch recorded shows on their handset. There's no word on when said features could eventually be rolled out, but may we implore AT&T to spend more on U-verse expansion before making it even more awesome for those lucky enough to have it?[Via phonescoop]
AT&T rolls U-verse into Bakersfield, California
As AT&T's U-verse presence grows in California, it follows logic that Bakersfield would get gifted, too. Following the news that Lubbock, Texas residents would now have another choice when it came to HDTV programming, high-speed internet and digital phone service, the provider has officially launched its services in parts of the City of Bakersfield, Rosedale and Greenacres. Per usual, AT&T will continue to expand in those areas as time goes on, but you can phone 'em up now to see if your domicile is already within reach.
U-verse coming to Chattanooga, TN "sooner than later"
AT&T has been teasing the Volunteer State for awhile now with its fiber-based TV service, but it sure sounds like U-verse is coming to Chattanooga in particular "sooner than later." That's according to Greg Morton, president of AT&T Tennessee, who also asserts that the company is "working as hard as it can to make sooner as soon as possible." The firm has two full years to get its service operational somewhere in the state, though it'll obviously be advantageous to AT&T to get things cranked up well before then. So yeah, still no definitive launch date, but surely it's not too far off now.[Thanks, Anthony]
AT&T's U-verse whole home DVR demoed on video
At long last, AT&T's Total Home DVR software is live. If you haven't been able to tap in just yet, or you're an outsider currently teetering on the edge of U-verse committal, we figured we'd point you in the direction of a hands-on video. So yeah, it's just after the break.[Thanks, Kevin]