Live TV comes to Xbox 360 in the US
AT&T launches U-verse IPTV service for console, with $99 setup fee
US phone and internet provider AT&T will release its U-verse streaming television platform for Xbox 360 on Friday.
The IPTV service is the first time American 360 owners can watch broadcast TV via their console, and also offers on-demand programming. Xbox IPTV was at one point due from BT, but plans were scrapped.
The service is not free even for those with existing U-verse subscriptions. New sign-ups require a $99 installation charge on top of a monthly AT&T internet fee, while current U-verse customers are subject to an additional $55 to activate it on 360.
U-verse involves a leased set-top box which can access 130 channels, many of which are HD, and record shows to its hard drive. The Xbox 360 version requires that there be at least one of these receivers in the home already, but is not subject to an additional monthly fee. "AT&T has a legacy of innovation and teamed up with Microsoft to build a differentiated all-IP TV offering to enable the future of TV services for their customers," said Andreas Mueller-Schubert, Microsoft's general manager of the Media Platforms Business.
"We're excited to extend that relationship today through new initiatives that make TV anywhere a possibility, delivering rich entertainment experiences for consumers across multiple screens, inside and outside the home."
AT&T also plans to offer the service on the new Windows Phone 7 later this year.