AT&T broadcast its intentions to migrate away from the U-verse TV platform last year, but the roadmap got a little clearer this week with new statements from the financial analyst community and AT&T itself. As reported by Bloomberg, AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is now acknowledging a marketing push that leads with DirecTV as a preferred option over U-verse. AT&T spokesperson Brad Burns said a DirecTV-first approach gives the telco an opportunity to realize benefits gained from the DirecTV acquisition. But Burns added that "our first priority is to listen to our customers and meet their needs, and if we determine a customer will be better served with the U-verse product, we offer attractive and compelling options." CreditSights financial analyst Chris Ucko extended the narrative further. Pointing to cost savings inherent in the DirecTV model, Ucko declared that "AT&T is going to actively get out of the U-verse business." Because of DirecTV's national footprint, the satellite TV division of AT&T enjoys lower program licensing costs than the U-verse business.

Plus, if AT&T can move a large chunk of video subscribers away from the U-verse option, it can potentially recoup some of the bandwidth currently being using to transport IP video and other broadband services. For more on TV technology trends, check out our dedicated video services content channel here on Light Reading. Over the longer term, AT&T has already said it plans to combine the assets of U-verse and DirecTV to create an agnostic video platform running across wireline, satellite and cellular networks. What Is The Best Carpet Cleaning Machine For Pet UrineBut that will take some time. Jim Hjelm Wedding Dress Buy OnlineFor now, the telco is focused on transitioning as many customers as possible away from U-verse and toward DirecTV.Car A/C Repair In Bakersfield

That strategy has been quite successful so far. In its last quarter, AT&T reported a boost of 214,000 new DirecTV subscribers. The gain was more than offset, however, by a loss of 240,000 U-verse TV subs. (See AT&T Eyes TV Everywhere Gold .) For further insight on how AT&T's video plans match up against other pay-TV rivals see Light Reading's report, Innovation Roundup: How US Pay-TV Providers Stack Up. — Mari Silbey, Senior Editor, Cable/Video, Light ReadingFiber UVerse InstallThe move and AT&T UVerse install, on fiber all the wayThis post series will be about the entire install process of AT&T Uverse on fiber.  I am already familiar with UVerse on VDSL2+ tech, but not on fiber. I recently signed the lease for a new apartment at Allister North Hills so I could move out the house I lived in for a few years in CLT NC.  Upon going through the new place I discovered a AT&T microfiber duct was run into the unit, see picture 1. Thursday (11/13/2014) evening I stopped  by the local AT&T store in North Hills to order new service.  

They say I can get up to 45mbit/5mbit service.  I only needed 24mbit/3mbit (read budgeted for).  I also ordered U200 + HD + HBO for my tv viewing pleasure.  Comes to a nice little bill of $119/mo (for some time period I did not ask about).  Also got a tech scheduled for Tuesday the 18th at 0900-1100 to come by and install service.  What the AT&T representive also indicated was that only four apartments in the area are fiber fed all the way.  Also they indicated that they were having equipment supply issues at this time and that my install date might have some issues.So far it has not been met by as many questions as more of a laughing at me for thinking I am going to get a pure fiber install.  Now I wont discredit the folks on the forum for thinking that I was not getting a pure fiber install but I know a fiber duct when I see one.  Also with this being a brand new apartment complex, it just fits the bill of going to have fiber instead of copper.  As from my understanding AT&T is wanting to run fiber instead of copper now days for new construction.

On Sunday (11/16/2014) I just got a call confirming my tech visit for Tuesday the 18th between 0900-1100. On Tuesday the tech showed up and set about changing out the phone jacks that were wired with ethernet cables and turning them in to ethernet jacks.  A bit later his “partner” shows up to install the ONT that normally goes outside the house, but this is an apartment so it got installed inside the apartment in the closet.  The “partner” mentioned in general chat with him that he normally works the night shift in manholes splicing fiber.  While watching him splice the fiber and installing the ONT I asked about gigapower and he said that the stuff upstream from me is ready for it, they just have to turn it up. Outside of the use of a ONT the install was very similar to my VDSL install in CLT.  Aside from the first DVR pulled out of the box having HDMI issues.  Hell even got the same shitty 2wire 3801 modem that connects to the ONT via a 4ft ethernet cable.  

(I despise the 3801 since the last two firmware upgrades as it breaks my IPv6 tunnel with Hurricane Electric) A week after the install the DVR crapped out and I called up support and attempted a destructive recovery of the DVR as I had zero recordings and lost nothing in the process.  This basically jumped to the end of the script the agents follow.  Ended up having a new DVR shipped to me that is a black model of the silver model that I had back in CLT. Overall, so far I have noted a 20ms drop in latency to most servers I play games on or work with.  No signal blips that occasionally happened in CLT on VDSL2.  Though to be fair those were due to lightning causing just enough noise on the line in the summer time usually.  Speed wise I get on speed tests shows 23/5 but if I run a torrent I can pull 31/5. This works for me for now, but part two of this series will deal with upgrading to gigapower which was announced 2014/12/8 for Raleigh.I don’t want to assume everyone has heard or read the news, so here’s a quick recap:

As one analyst put it, via Bloomberg: “AT&T is going to actively get out of the U-verse business.” If you’re a U-verse subscriber who watches the Pac-12 Networks – count me in that group – then the development is cause for, if not concern, then at least curiosity. If you have a vested interest in the future success of the Pac12Nets — everyone at the conference office and on the campuses — then the development is also cause for, if not concern, then at least curiosity. I’ve attempted to gain some clarity on the situation. Not surprisingly, there’s a considerable amount of nuance. We’ll start with the bottom line: The situation isn’t awful for the Pac-12 in the near term, but it’s not good. Critical point: U-verse subscribers need not panic. AT&T isn’t pulling the U-verse plug in a few weeks or months (and maybe not in a few years). Instead, it’s de-emphasizing U-verse, as one industry source put it, and pushing both current and potential customers to DirecTV.

According to a statement from AT&T: “To realize the many benefits of our DirecTV acquisition, we are leading our video marketing approach with DirecTV. However, our first priority is to listen to our customers and meet their needs, and if we determine a customer will be better served with the U-verse product, we offer attractive and compelling options.” The shift makes sense: Moving video content to DTV (satellite transmission) frees up pipe space that will allow AT&T to provide faster (more lucrative) internet service. What happens to U-verse five years from now is anyone’s guess. But in the near term, U-verse customers will have the option to remain U-verse customers. Obviously, the situation isn’t good for the conference: AT&T is pushing potential subscribers away from a Pac12Nets carrier (U-verse) to a Pac12Nets non-carrier (DTV). And what of the economic component? There are roughly 12 million subscribers to the Pac12Nets. The U-verse contingent is in the 800,000 – 900,000 range.

If we assume 90 percent of the U-verse subscribers are in-market paying 80 cents per month and 10 percent are out-market paying 25 cents, then U-verse accounts for $8 million (approx) annually for the Pac12Nets. That’s less than 10 percent of the total annual revenue, but it’s not an insignificant amount for an entity that’s sending just $1 million (approx) back to the campuses. Given AT&T’s plan, the Pac12Nets probably can’t count on many new subscribers via U-verse – not that there is a mass of untapped customers out there. (Chances are, if you want the Pac12Nets, you’ve got them; if you haven’t switched from DTV to a Pac12Nets carrier, you aren’t planning to.) For the most part, the subscription and revenue numbers are what the subscription and revenue numbers are. It strikes me that in order for AT&T to lure customers to DTV, it will have to drop the price. After all, AT&T is now seeking subscribers for DTV who have already chosen a different carrier.

Maybe I’m dead wrong, but what better way to compel that pool of consumers to make the switch than by dropping the price? And if the price of DTV drops for customers, it stands to reason that the potential profit from a DTV carriage deal for the Pac12Nets would also … um … drop. The carriage the conference desperately needs in order to ramp up income for the campuses might not be as lucrative as everyone had hoped — if it ever happens in the first place. Again, I’m hardly an expert on such matters, and there could very well be a flaw in the reasoning here. But it sure seems like there are a lot of scenarios for Pac12Nets/U-verse/DirecTV interplay … and most of them aren’t promising for the conference. Then there’s the not insignificant matter of what happens when the Pac-12’s contract with AT&T expires. (I don’t know the exact date but believe there are a few years left on the deal). Seems like we’re headed down one of two paths in the not-too-distant future: Either the Pac12Nets are on DTV at a reduce income level, or the Pac12Nets are not on either DTV or U-verse.