ViaSat 2 satellite could offer 100 Mbps broadband | AT&T, Amazon team up on free Fire TV Stick for DIRECTV Now subs | Sling TV's latest campaign says be picky
June 6, 2017
News and Resources for the Consumer Satellite Industry
The ViaSat 2 broadband satellite, which was launched last week, could help ViaSat provide internet download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second when it goes into service early next year. CEO Mark Dankberg says he expects that most subscribers will pay for tiers slower than 100 Mbps.
New subscribers to AT&T's DIRECTV Now streaming service will receive a free Amazon Fire TV Stick under a promotion between the companies. Also, DIRECTV and CenturyLink are among the over-the-top providers in line to receive local ABC station signals under an affiliate agreement ABC has signed with TV station giant Nexstar.
Sling TV has introduced a new ad campaign starring actor Danny Trejo that calls on viewers to be picky about their TV provider, just as they are about everyday choices, such as what kind of coffee to order and where to vacation. The campaign includes digital, mobile, social, print and TV elements.
AT&T continued to learn about its DIRECTV Now streaming product even as take rates exceeded expectations, AT&T Entertainment Group's Brad Bentley says. For example, he said, the service has attracted younger, apartment-dwelling subscribers who may have avoided DIRECTV's satellite service.
The DIRECTV Now streaming service is now available on most Roku models. The service can be downloaded from the Roku channel in the Roku store, and a free one-month trial is available for new subscribers.
Executives in the streaming video industry argued the benefits of HDR over 4K during the Streaming Media East conference. HDR looks better and is less expensive to produce and easier to deliver, the executives said, raising the question of whether the two technologies will ever diverge.
Plex has added free live TV service for Plex Pass subscribers who tie their app to a digital antenna, a digital tuner or some other video source. The service is available for iOS and Android TV and will soon be available for Android mobile devices, Apple TV and other platforms.
Apple CEO Tim Cook on Monday at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference announced the Apple HomePod, a smart speaker designed to compete with the Amazon Echo and Google Home. The connected speaker uses Siri voice controls, learns users' habits, can be used to control smart home technology and will "reinvent home audio," Cook said.
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