DirecTV is once again making changes to the branding of its services. Unlike previous rebrands, this one appears to be designed to reduce confusion by unifying its services under one brand – DirecTV.
Basically, DirecTV appears to be doing away with the DirecTV Stream name. Previously, DirecTV Now, AT&T TV Now, and AT&T TV, DirecTV Stream originally launched as a way to distinguish the company’s streaming service from its satellite service.
Over the past year, however, DirecTV has been actively working to make satellite customers more aware that they don’t need a satellite dish to access DirecTV. This was most notably seen through the launch of its DirecTV via Internet service and its ‘For The Birds‘ marketing campaign.
In principle, there isn’t a whole lot of differences between DirecTV via Internet and DirecTV Stream. Well, outside of artificial differences introduced by the company, such as contract length and device support.
With the two services largely the same at a technical level, DirecTV appears to see little value in continuing to advertise them as different services. Instead, it will now just offer all of its services under the DirecTV brand.
The change can already be seen at the website level, with the DirecTV Stream website now directing visitors to the DirecTV website.
No Major Changes To Plans And Packages
While a major change at the marketing level, we don’t see any evidence that anything will change at the product level. Not immediately, at least.
The unified DirecTV product will still offer consumers the option of signing up to a streaming version of the service. The only difference being there will be no ‘DirecTV Stream’ branded product going forward. Subscribers will still be able to use DirecTV’s own streaming player, or their own streaming player with the DirecTV app installed.
From the information provided, plans will also remain the same, with DirecTV continuing to offer streaming customers it’s Signature Packages (Entertainment, Choice Ultimate and Premier) as well as its newer Genre Packs and Mini-Packs.
DirecTV will also continue to offer its selection of FAST channels as a standalone service through MyFree DirecTV.
A Move That’s Been Coming
This appears to be a goal DirecTV has been slowly moving towards. In the recent past, the company did away with its DirecTV Stream app in favor of offering all of its Internet-based services directly through the DirecTV app. DirecTV’s own streaming player, the ‘DirecTV Stream Device,’ was also previously replaced with the more neutral ‘DirecTV Gemini Air.’
As a result of these past changes, the way DirecTV Stream customers access their service appears to remain unchanged with this latest move. If anything, DirecTV is arguing the experience will be better and more straightforward now.
For example, DirecTV says any customers that sign up to one of its Signature Packages under the unified brand can expect to keep the same monthly promotional price for two years, and without an annual contract, amounting to what is essentially a price lock.
With all this said, DirecTV Stream has gone through a number of rebrands and changes over the years, and while this would seem to be the service’s final form, you never really know what’s around the corner in streaming.
Leave a Reply