DirecTV Now breaks 200,000 subscribers in problematic first month of service

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in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV
AT&T's DirecTV has successfully managed to acquire more than 200,000 paying subscribers within one month of its launch on November 30, but despite the growth, customers of the Internet TV provider are continuing to endure issues with the service.




A Securities and Exchange Commission filing from AT&T for the quarter ending December 31 last year advises it has "more than 200,000 video net adds, entirely driven by DirectTV Now." The filing notes this figure is only for paying customers within the first month, not including any on free trials, and doesn't take into account changes in its customer numbers for the start of 2017.

AT&T offered its larger $60 plan for $35 per month for the launch, the same cost as the basic package, but that deal lasted until January 9. A second offer tempted customers with a free 32GB fourth-generation Apple TV, but only if they prepaid for three months of service in advance.

At launch, the service suffered from a number of performance issues, with users complaining about being locked out of streaming content. Error 60 messages, meant to advise users they were using too many streams on their account simultaneously, appeared for some subscribers even if they were only using a single stream, while other stream interruptions kept reoccurring during peak viewing times, indicating issues with capacity.

AppleInsider's experience with the service mirrors that of many of the complaints, with the experience worse on streaming devices like the Apple TV versus that on the iPhone or iPad.

Even after the teething issues at launch, reports have surfaced over the last month indicating DirecTV Now still has problems providing its service, with customers continuing to complain.

The AT&T support forums are littered with posts from disgruntled customers irritated by new and old issues, including continued mishandled Error 60 warnings, buffering issues, and live stream freezes. Other complaints include being signed out of apps at random, the unavailability of some content for on-demand viewing, and problems with regional lockouts for local sporting events.

AT&T has also been accused of failing to provide afflicted subscribers with refunds, with representatives telling some users there wasn't a policy in place to provide compensation. Free trial customers were also affected, with TechCrunch noting some customers who tried to cancel within seven days were refused refunds for unexpected charges.

The continued issues and the difficulty in getting a refund has led to customers complaining to the FCC, with some frustrated forum posters urging other affected subscribers to do the same.

"With any new technology there are going to be fixes that need to be made," starts a statement from AT&T. "While we understand we still have work to do, overall feedback on DirecTV Now has been very positive. We're continuously updating the app to provide a better experience for customers. We encourage customers to keep the app updated."

On the subject of refunds, AT&T advises it does not provide partial compensation due to DirecTV Now being a prepaid monthly service, and that customers would be able to "enjoy the service through the end of the current billing cycle."

For free trial cancellations, AT&T notes some customers would have joined up with a special code that would have boosted the seven-day trial to 30, and if they had entered the code wrong, they may have unknowingly stayed on the seven-day trial. In a softening of stance on refunds, AT&T does "encourage" those who signed up with a code but were charged anyway to contact support for a "resolution."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 30
    mwhitemwhite Posts: 287member
    Minus 1 as soon as my 3 months are up...
    MetriacanthosauruscaliSolijbdragon
  • Reply 2 of 30
    NY1822NY1822 Posts: 621member
    How many signed up for 3 months for a free apple tv?
    Metriacanthosaurusaaronsullivanmwhitefirelockcalijohn.bredgeminipaSolicintosjbdragon
  • Reply 3 of 30
    I did and have. Even very happy with the service.   The only thing I don't understand is why some channels I can watch on my iPhone or iPad but not on my AppleTV
  • Reply 4 of 30
    To say that the first 2 months have been a total disaster is a massive understatement.
    mwhite
  • Reply 5 of 30
    Same here, not bad and got a appleTV out of it. If Hulus new service provides similar channel line up for same price, ill jump ship.
    mwhite
  • Reply 6 of 30
    I did the 3-month deal for the free Apple TV and I've had very few problems with using it on both the Apple TV and on my iPhone 5S. In fact, I'm watching CNN on my iPhone right now. I was planning to cancel after 3 months, but if they continue to give me the $60 plan for $35, I may just keep it for a while. I also did a 3-month trial of Sling TV and have have many more connection problems with Sling TV.
    redgeminipa
  • Reply 7 of 30
    I did and have. Even very happy with the service.   The only thing I don't understand is why some channels I can watch on my iPhone or iPad but not on my AppleTV
    I have been happy with the service as well.  
    AT&T must do the following 2 simple things to keep me beyond the 3 months.

    1.  Fully integrate DirecTV Now in the Apple TV.  
         a. Support single-signon
         b. Support all available standalone Apps included in the package because they stream their content better the the AT&T DirecTV Now App.

    2.  Increase the number of simultaneous streams allowed.

    If AT&T can't do that and Hulu comes out with a decent package that offers these 2 things, then I am switching to Hulu. (Heck, I already subscribe to Hulu.)
    My gut feeling tells me that Hulu will do a better job integrating with the AppleTV single sign-on and stand alone app authentication support.
    AT&T may have conflict of interest because of their Satellite service.

    Time will tell.

    edited January 2017 redgeminipa
  • Reply 8 of 30
    I have my Apple TV connected with ethernet on a time warner 300mbps line.  Of course this only gives a 95mbps consistent down speed since apple only has a 100mbps ethernet which is a whole other conversation....(Here's hoping  that apple doesn't skimp on the next Apple TV and put a gigabit ethernet line).  With that being said directtvnow has been very stable so far.  Been watching the NFL playoff games, NBA games and the local news and it's been very clear with no pauses so far.  Streaming on a computer has a lot of pauses so that needs work but on the Apple TV and the iPhone it's been a solid performer even on LTE out of the house.  With HBO for $5 compared to the $15 subscription it's been a winner for me.  It's nice that i can log into the hbo app with the directtvnow  login so that i can get the surround sound tracks since the directtvnow Apple TV app is only stereo.  It has room to grow and work out the bumps.  we will see how the Super Bowl broadcast holds up.
    redgeminipa
  • Reply 9 of 30
    I cut the cord back in 2010 and never looked back. But since I was in the market for a second Apple TV 4 anyway, I figured I would give this a try. The service actually works pretty well for me. No severe problems, just occasional slight stuttering during the streams. I have a very good internet service (Frontier FIOS 150/150) so I don't know if that helps. Overall it works as advertised and expected. However, I am still dropping the service after the 3-month trial. I just can't go back to watching TV like this. Channels, timeslots, commercials... And I don't really care if they introduce a DVR feature later or not. I don't want to have to set up a DVR to "record" shows.
    jbdragon
  • Reply 10 of 30
    GeorgeSmithGeorgeSmith Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    I've been with it from the get-go, and things have gone from pretty bad to a good deal better overall...far fewer buffering issues....still get kicked off occasionally. But you can't get that many channels for that amount ANYWHERE else, so I think people are whining a bit much. That said, the Playstation network seems like the way to go for me going forward if DTVN doesn't really dial things in....for about the same money, I get far fewer channels with PS, but ALL of the ones I really need + cloud DVR and a more stable network. DTVN has some real work to do in this last month to impress me into staying. I would hate to seem them fail in a sense though, because this was what cord cutters have been crying for....all the channels cheap minus the greedy cable company...it just wasn't executed very well....playing catch-up now. If they really stabilize things, and announce a coming cloud DVR service, and keep all the channels for early adopters at the $35 rate...I think they could sway me.
    edited January 2017
  • Reply 11 of 30
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    NY1822 said:
    How many signed up for 3 months for a free apple tv?
    With that price I got a second one.

    the app is terrible though. We'll be enjoying content and it'll just kick us out.

    nemaworm said:
    I have my Apple TV connected with ethernet on a time warner 300mbps line.  Of course this only gives a 95mbps consistent down speed since apple only has a 100mbps ethernet which is a whole other conversation....(Here's hoping  that apple doesn't skimp on the next Apple TV and put a gigabit ethernet line).  With that being said directtvnow has been very stable so far.  Been watching the NFL playoff games, NBA games and the local news and it's been very clear with no pauses so far.  Streaming on a computer has a lot of pauses so that needs work but on the Apple TV and the iPhone it's been a solid performer even on LTE out of the house.  With HBO for $5 compared to the $15 subscription it's been a winner for me.  It's nice that i can log into the hbo app with the directtvnow  login so that i can get the surround sound tracks since the directtvnow Apple TV app is only stereo.  It has room to grow and work out the bumps.  we will see how the Super Bowl broadcast holds up.


    What?!

    i don't get local channels on mine.

    supadav03
  • Reply 12 of 30
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member
    Very happy with the $35/mo. deal, free Apple TV, and service here, including the unlimited streaming over AT&T cellular. Deep down, though, I'm not happy AT&T's unlimited streaming constitutes a violation of Net Neutrality and that Trump's appointment to the FCC chairmanship will undoubtably gut the Net Neutrality regulations, chipping away our 1st Amendment rights.
    edited January 2017 redgeminipa
  • Reply 13 of 30
    You know I had hopes for this. I did it with the Apple TV deal because we could use one, but I was hoping this could work. Thing is... I just can't watch TV shows broadcast at time intervals like this. I've been away from that way of thinking for so long that it was shockingly distressing and life-sucking. Flipping around to see "what's on" hoping vainly that you don't have to wait for a commercial to see if you want to see the actual program, checking to see when a show you want to see "airs". Tivo cured me of this ailment ages ago, and now I'm hoping all on-demand can take its place, but the right package just hasn't arrived yet.

    I will say that for the couple of TV channel apps it does unlock for on-demand-ish viewing helps. If that wasn't so scattered and inconsistent it would really help. The cable I used to pay for (only because it temporarily saved money in a bundle with internet) supported barely any channel apps so it was interesting to see that side of it.

    For now, though, it's local broadcast HD through antenna + Tivo (lifetime membership bought ages ago) and then Netflix, Amazon Prime and iTunes purchases for everything else. By far this is the cheapest solution but I want it unified so much more. Gotta give credit to the device makers for trying, but the content-owners just aren't helping matters for consumers.
    mwhitefirelock
  • Reply 14 of 30
    I prepaid for 3 months service on launch day and received my "free" Apple TV. During the 6 weeks following launch, I was NEVER able to watch a single, complete episode of anything without the program stopping and an error message appearing at some point (stable, 100 Mbps connection here). I asked for a refund and offered to send the Apple TV back. AT&T refused to refund my money. A couple of weeks later, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Within days, a lady from AT&T called, refunded my money, and let me keep the Apple TV. The way I see it, that's the least they could do considering the frustration I experienced.
    caliMetriacanthosaurus
  • Reply 15 of 30
    Lack of local channels killed it for me. No access to ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox, which are must haves for sports fans. If they can add these stations I may come back. And yes I know I can use an antenna but I want everything integrated into the ATV and I'm not paying Channels app on top of DTV for that. 
  • Reply 16 of 30
    dcgoodcgoo Posts: 280member
    Only 200,000?  That is an amazingly small number IMO.  I do wish the AppleTV app worked better on the AppleTV.  It does not like low bandwidth at all. Although it works fine on the iPad/iPhone.  Odd.  I use it on T-Mobile Binge On, which limits video to 1.5 Mbps.  

    No local stations is not a problem for me.  I use TiVo and an OTA antenna for that.

  • Reply 17 of 30
    Slick-erSlick-er Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    The on-demand content is a joke--episodes that show up on a networks own app the day after they air do not show up in DirecTV Now. So, unless you want to watch shows when they air (which you can't even do for the major OTA networks unless you are in certain cities) it's pretty much garbage. I've even come across older on-demand episodes which are actually available that do not contain the entire epside. You will start a 45 minute episode only to realize (hopefully before it cuts off) that it's only 22 minutes long on DirecTV Now. I really don't understand who would want this rather than regular cable TV honestly. The video and audio quality of regular cable is better as most streams and on-demand content on DirecTV Now are only available with stereo sound.
  • Reply 18 of 30
    Signed up to evaluate and cancelled after a couple of days and kept Sling TV.

    The service requires Microsoft Silverlight to run on a Mac- that is a deal killer for me.

    I also do not want a bundle- I want a la carte and the basic Bundle of Sling plus Movies package and HBO is as close as I can get right now.

    HBO, BBC World News, Bloomberg, Turner Classic Movies, HBO is really all I use. I do watch a little College Football but am not happy subsidizing the ESPN empire of sports gossip. I just do not watch that much TV and cut off Comcast when the monthly bill reached $200 with no change in my service that used to cost about $120 including internet.
  • Reply 19 of 30
    DiamondDNiceDiamondDNice Posts: 4unconfirmed, member
    I got a free month. it ends on Jan 29th. It's already been cancelled? 

    Reason 1:
    Price: Costs $50 to get the only 5 channels I want. In order of importance. NBC Sports (EPL Soccer) ESPN, ESPN 2, Fox Sports 1, MSNBC. 
    To get NBC Sports i have to pay $50 for an 80 channel package. I don't need 80 channels. I want 5. I really only watch sports, specifically EpL Soccer. My old cable was $50 on top of my $50 internet. All they've offered is cable over the internet. Maybe it's be better if i could get the 5 channels i wanted at $35. But I can't.

    Reason 2:
    Bad Service: Log outs, buffering, freezing, crashing, image quality is not really HD, it's often quite fuzzy. The interface isn't great in the app. No DVR service included at that cost.

    I cut cable completely because it was $50 on top of cable for a bunch of channels i never watch when i only really watch two or three. And i can find those on free internet feeds instead. This is still $50 for a bundle of channels I don't want. No more bundles. If the channels you want are in the cheap package i guess it may be fine. It's not good for me. Plus the service is poor at the moment.
    edited January 2017
  • Reply 20 of 30
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    mwhite said:
    Minus 1 as soon as my 3 months are up…
    I gave it you a shot, but there's too much that's missing to make it a good service. I understand that network channels, like CBS, want to have pay a separate fee and use a separate app but I want it to be a single payment for group of channels. Maybe one day…

    From a technical stand point I've had no issues with any content I tried after the first weekend.

    NY1822 said:
    How many signed up for 3 months for a free apple tv?
    I did.
    edited January 2017
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