AT&T Announced New Streaming Service. Is It Worth It To You?

The revolution has begun. Or has it?. AT&T announced a new streaming service, DirecTV Now, which is similar to Dish Network's Sling and several others. It offers a slimmed down package of channels for a somewhat smaller price than what cable or satellite offers. But is it enough?

DirecTV Now hasn't announced which channels are in which package and word is CBS is not included, yet. (Does that mean all of Ch. 3 is not included? I don't know. The DirecTV website on Monday night has no answers at all.) All this, even though, they start streaming on Wednesday. That's a lot of unanswered questions.

And here's where I get to ask my questions. From everything I read, this is all about a lot of people complaining about the high cost of cable or satellite. I pay $100 a month and there are many who pay even more. And that $100 doesn't include the internet connection.

Essentially these are slimmed down packages, and you still need internet. (If you're an AT&T wireless customer, they're going to give you the streaming for free for a while.)

So how much are you really saving? And here's one big thing that missing: channel flipping. (I know. That's a guy thing, but I think I would really miss it.) And there is a promise of DVR capability but not yet.

The problem as I see it, and I don't see anyone budging anytime soon, unless this becomes a big hit right out of the box, is you still can't pick and choose your channels. I get something like 200 channels right now. And how many do I watch? Maybe a dozen during an average week. And a couple are free over the air retro channels.

The companies that own the channels are not going to let you pick and choose. And, truth be told, there simply is not enough programming to support the channels that are out there now.

But if could pick maybe 20 channels for say $30. Okay, now we're talking. Be patient, I guess, is my mantra.