This week DIRECTV announced a new line of streaming players and a new marketing plan that rebranded part of DIRECTV STREAM to DIRECTV Internet. So what is DIRECTV Internet, and what are these new device fees? We are going to explain all of that and more now.
So what is DIRECTV internet, and how is it different from DIRECTV STREAM and DIRECTV?
Starting this week, DIRECTV now sells an internet version of DIRECTV’s satellite service. The pricing is the same as the satellite service, but you get fewer channels with DIRECTV internet as its the same packages DIRECTV STREAM already offers.
DIRECTV’s internet service is just a rebrand of DIRECTV STREAM for anyone who leases DIRECTV’s new streaming player. This new streaming player is an updated version of the DIRECTV STREAM’s old streaming player.
Is DIRECTV STREAM going away?
No DIRECTV STREAM is staying around and is the name for anyone who uses their own streaming player to watch DIRECTV STREAM. So if you use a Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, etc nothing is changing for you.
DIRECTV internet is just the name of DIRECTV STREAM if you lease a DIRECTV streaming player.
Is DIRECTV internet cheaper than DIRECTV STREAM?
DIRECTV’s new internet option starts $10 cheaper than DIRECTV STREAM but there are some new fees that push the price up. Now if you lease a DIRECTV streaming player, you have to pay a $15 a month leasing fee for the box plus an RSN fee that can go as high as $13.99 a month.
If you have DIRECTV STREAM and use your own device, you do not have to pay a $ 15-a-month lease fee.
The big price news here is DIRECTV internet offers a two-year price lock.
If I own a DIRECTV STREAM box already, will I be charged $15 a month extra now?
No, if you have already purchased your DIRECTV STREAM streaming player, you own that and will not be charged $15 a month lease fee.
Can I buy the new DIRECTV streaming player and not pay the $15 a month fee?
No, DIRECTV no longer sells their streaming players. From now on DIRECTV only lease their new streaming players.
Will there be other changes to DIRECTV STREAM in the future?
Right now, DIRECTV has made no announcements about the future of DIRECTV STREAM. For now, customers can keep using it, and new customers can signup for it.
Some DIRECTV employees who have posted about these changes on Reddit have said that more brand changes will be happening throughout the year and will finish early next year. Precisely what that means is unknown, but for now, DIRECTV STREAM is still around if you want it.
So what is DIRECTV doing with this change?
Right now, all we can do is speculate, but it seems that DIRECTV wants to move customers off of its more expensive-to-run satellite service to its cheaper internet service. Satellites are expensive to replace, and the operating costs are reportedly higher than internet services that are far cheaper for them to run in the long term.
Several DIRECTV employees have said that this move is about offering a streaming service that is as close to the satellite version as possible for those who want that. DIRECTV has not officially said that is the goal here, but it does seem very likely that is what DIRECTV is trying to do. This internet version can target customers that are unwilling to give up that traditional TV experience and want something that will just work with zero setup on their part.
What do you think of these changes? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think.