AT&T TV and AT&T TV NOW subscribers can once again add the AT&T TV channel to a Roku device. This ends a dispute that had resulted in the channel being removed from the Roku platform at the beginning of the year.
The Roku TV platform is one of the most popular streaming options in the US. However, in January of this year, the channel that provides access to AT&T TV and AT&T TV NOW subscribers was removed. Since then, it remained unavailable to download through the Roku Store.
The issue now appears to be resolved as the AT&T TV channel is once again live on the Roku Store with the option to install on a Roku device. This will likely be a welcomed return to the platform, considering that up until now subscribers to either the AT&T TV or AT&T TV NOW subscription services were unable to watch live content on their Roku device.
Timing unlikely to be a coincidence
The return of the AT&T TV Roku channel comes shortly before AT&T is due to launch HBO Max. While it is understood that AT&T and Roku have yet to agree terms on carrying HBO Max on Roku devices, the timing of the channel’s return is unlikely to be a coincidence. AT&T is counting on HBO Max to make an impact and possibly even drive subscription sales of AT&T TV and TV NOW – it is bundled with those services for free.
There is also the other issue and that’s the number of live TV streaming subscribers that AT&T keeps losing. Every time the company announces its latest quarter results, it also confirms the latest batch of customers that have opted to leave the service.
With AT&T having effectively removed its live TV streaming services’ support for one of the most popular streaming platforms in the US, the move was unlikely to have helped the situation much, considering it was forcing paying customers to either use a different streaming device to access live TV content or more easily, switch to another live TV streaming service.
Irrespective of the reason for the return, AT&T TV and AT&T TV NOW subscribers can once again add the channel to their Roku devices either by installing through the Roku Store on the Roku website or directly from a Roku device.
Source: Roku Store
