AT&T’s foray into the over-the-top streaming business, DirecTV Now, launched Wednesday but first-adopters ran into problems. Subscribers had a hard time accessing the service at all, including just signing in, and they also seemed to run into difficulties when trying to stream over multiple devices. Many users received “error 60” messages, with the service erroneously determining that subscribers were using the service over more than their allotted number of streams.
On Thursday, DirecTV Now was limiting streaming to two devices per subscriber.
In a statement issued Thursday, AT&T said it had resolved the problems: “We experienced an issue last night that prevented some customers from streaming. Engineers resolved the issue and we haven’t experienced it since.”
It also posted the following statement to its Twitter account @DirecTVNOWHelp:
We’ve resolved the sign-in issue affecting some DIRECTV NOW customers, so you can get back to streaming rules free TV.
— DIRECTV NOW Help (@DIRECTVNowHelp) December 1, 2016
Still, Phillip Swann’s TVPredictions website called the launch “a total nightmare,” writing that “subscribers also complained that channels wouldn’t load when clicked on, that their screen would sometimes go blank while watching, and that they would get error messages saying their device wasn’t compatible although it was on the list of compatible devices.
It’s not uncommon for new services to get off to rough starts, but it’s also not ideal when a company is trying to get a new product off the ground.
DirecTV Now launched Wednesday with multiple pricing tiers. The “Live a Little” package costs $35 per month for 60-plus channels; “Just Right” will cost $50 per month for 80-plus channels; “Go Big” will cost $60 per month for 100-plus channels and “Gotta Have It” will cost $70 per month for 120-plus channels. In addition, premium channels such as HBO and Cinemax can be added for $5 per month each.
For a limited introductory period, subscribers can pay $35 for more than 100 channels.
DirecTV Now has deals with many media companies in place, including 21st Century Fox, A+E Networks, AMC, Discover, Disney-ABC, NBCUniversal, Time Warner and Viacom. CBS thus far has stayed off the platform, meaning that CBS, CBS Sports, Pop, Showtime and Smithsonian Network are all unavailable.
RELATED: AT&T Unveils Details Around DirecTV NOW Two Days Before Launch
READ MORE: Adweek, Variety, CNET, TVPredictions
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