AT&T DirecTV Now is new streaming option

Service could entice cord-cutters, but lacks CBS, premium sports.

AT&T unveiled a streaming television service Monday aimed at the millions of Americans who have broadband internet but no bundled TV package, offering an extensive list of channels for less than most cable plans.

The ser vice, DirecT V Now, includes many of the channels, including ESPN, TBS, AMC and the Disney Channel, that so-called cord-cutters frequently miss after they ditch cable. Live television can be streamed to mobile devices, tablets, computers and living-room televisions.

With the cheapest package offering 60 channels for $35 per month, the video service joins competitors such as Sling TV and PlayStation Vue in drastically undercutting traditional cable and satellite packages, which often cost more than $100 per month.

John Stankey, the chief executive of the AT&T Entertainment Group, said it would appeal to people previously uninterested in or unable to get DirecTV satellite packages.

“It opens up a whole new segment of the market that we’ve typically been ineffective at addressing,” he said.

While the service was available to all beginning Wednesday, AT&T Wireless customers will have an extra advantage: Watching DirecTV Now on their mobile devices will not count toward monthly data limits. Since streaming video rap- idly eats through data, customers on carriers like Verizon and Sprint would be at a disadvantage.

“The last thing you want to do when you’re binging or enjoying entertainment is trying to calculate how many gigs I’m using or where I am in my data plan,” said Brad Bentley, the chief marketing officer at AT&T, referring to gigabytes of data.

That perk could stir complaints about competitiveness and the effect on consumers as media and telecommunications companies consolidate. Several politicians, including President-elect Donald Trump, expressed concern after AT&T agreed in October to buy Time Warner, which owns HBO and CNN, for about $85.4 billion.

Still, the service represents a p o t e n t i a l l y e n t i c i n g o f f e r to cord- cutters and so - c alled cord-nevers, those who have never had cable or satellite service. There is no annual contract, and users can cancel anytime. There are no hefty cable boxes to install, and home visits by technicians are not necessary. Signing up does not require a credit check.

But there are several drawbacks that could prevent widespread adoption.

The service does not include CBS, which has many of televisions’ top-rated programs, including “The Big Bang Theory” and “NCIS.”

Sports fans might also have reservations. The more expensive channel packages include regional sports networks, but premium channels, such as NFL Sunday Ticket, are not included. The lack of CBS means customers would also miss out on NFL games and the NCAA basketball tournament.