Looking to keep pace in the never-ending HD programming race, AT&T Inc. (T) will begin offering its U-verse customers up to 30 new free HD channels beginning Nov. 3, as well as pay-extra ethnic programming packages, available a week later.
The new content include programming packages for Chinese, Polish, Russian, French and European-sports audience and bring the U-verse HD channel count over 75. The move is part of an ongoing trend in content monetization whereby operators provide HD packages as pay extra tiers or charge a subscription fee for access to HD programming.
One satellite provider recently took the idea to the extreme, launching a series of HD only, pay-extra programming packages.
The newly added HD channels include several regional sports networks, premium movie channels, and popular national sports, news, women’s, shopping and lifestyle networks. Customers that subscribe to U-verse HD, which carries a $10 monthly charge, will get the new channels free with any TV programming package.
Ironically, much of the HD programming – such as regional sports networks - is from content subsidiaries of rivals cablecos.
All U-verse TV packages include HD-ready equipment, and four of the five packages include an HD-ready Total Home DVR. Total Home DVR is being rolled out to all U-verse markets by the end of this year.
But wait, there’s more. AT&T said U-verse TV is also adding more HD options on Nov. 10 with a new HD Premium package. Featuring Universal HD, MGM HD and Smithsonian Channel HD, the new tier can be added to an HD service subscription for an additional $5 a month.
The telco TV provider says more channels will be added to the HD Premium package in the future.
AT&T is also expanding the ethnic programming available on U-verse TV with several new packages for its diverse customer base including:
- Mandarin Package, featuring CCTV-4, CTI-Zhong Tian Channel, Phoenix InfoNews and Phoenix North American Chinese Channel, for $35 a month. CTI-Zhong Tian Channel can be ordered a la carte for $12 a month, and CCTV-4, Phoenix InfoNews and Phoenix North American Chinese Channel are available a la carte for $10 a month.
- Polish Package, featuring TV Polonia and TVP Info, for $25 a month. TV Polonia can be ordered a la carte for $20 a month.
- Russian Package, featuring RTR Planeta and Channel One Russia, for $25 a month. Each channel is available a la carte for $15 a month.
- TV5MONDE, featuring programs from France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and Quebec, for $10 a month.
- Setanta Sports, featuring exclusively live European and international soccer, rugby and other sports, for $15 a month.
The new international packages are available starting Nov. 10 and can be added to any U-verse TV core programming package.
As part of this month’s expansion, U-verse TV customers also gain access to several new standard definition (SD) channels: The Outdoor Channel, NASA TV and, as part of Paquete Español, WAPA America and V-me. Paquete Español features 24 Spanish-language channels for $10 a month with any U-verse TV core programming package.
