ATT says the market for its new internet cable service, DirecTV Now, could be as large as 20 million households. To put it to the test, I farmed out part of this review to several friends and relatives. It’s TV, it’s fun, it’s a free trial with no hassle. Why wouldn’t people jump at the chance to try something new?
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As it turned out, almost nobody did.
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This could have been my fault. December is a busy month. Maybe I wasn’t a persuasive enough saleswoman or didn’t nag people artfully enough. And maybe my picks, while a diverse bunch, just aren’t early adopters — those who jump to try out new technology.
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But their hesitation might also foreshadow some challenges for ATT. Most of my friends and family are happy enough with their current TV options that they felt no need to try something different, even when it was free. (DirecTV Now costs $35 and up after a one-week free trial.)
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Obstacles for Streaming Cable
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The appeal of services like DirecTV is simple: You can watch scores of live TV channels online for less than you’d pay for a typical cable subscription. These services are aimed at the legion of cord cutters who are abandoning expensive, inflexible cable packages for other options.
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My testers, not all of whom had cut the cord, were pretty happy with the streaming services they already have, like Netflix and Amazon. Several said they had access to plenty of TV.
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Others lacked the extra gadgets needed to watch DirecTV Now on a TV set, though they could use phones or tablets. One friend who tried the service protested the commercials and frequent bugs. Only one said he might become a customer in the future.
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My testers didn’t even mention the viewing restrictions that bedevil live internet TV. For example, NFL games are blacked…