3Screens

Aside From Gizmodo, CrunchGear, Engadget And The Like, Put The NY Times' "Bits" On Your Reading List

I am a huge fan of blogs such as Engadget, CrunchGear, Gizmodo.   

While these well written, and often irreverent, I am also a big fan of The New York Timem's "BITS" blog.   

BITS- which stands for Business, Technology, Innovation and Society, takes a broader look beyond just gizmos, gadgets and toys. 

Their writers cover serious topics about how business uses and is affected by innovation, disruption and new technology.

Worth Reading!

AT&T U-verse Users Guide Helps Navigate First Time Users

So, how does U-verse work?
How do I get the most out of my U-verse experience?
How does my Remote work?
How do I schedule programs?
What about parental controls?
How do I order a movie?

Download the AT&T User Guide Here:
Download U-verse_Feature_Guide.pdf

Here's A Factual List of What the Deal With Starbucks and AT&T Means to You As A Consumer

Here is what I know about the deal with AT&T and Starbucks.  Your mileage may vary....

• AT&T Inc. and Starbucks will  deliver AT&T Wi-Fi service at more than 7,000 company-operated Starbucks locations across the United States.

• The initiative brings together two of the most recognizable global brands to create a powerful and convenient online experience for consumers and business customers.

• Starbucks and AT&T will offer a mix of free and paid Wi-Fi offerings at Starbucks stores to meet the needs of both frequent and occasional Starbucks Wi-Fi customers.

• The initiative further expands the AT&T Wi-Fi network, already the largest in the United States, to more than 17,000 U.S. hot spots and more than 70,000 globally.

• Beginning this spring, Starbucks Card holders can enjoy up to two hours of free Wi-Fi service per day at Starbucks locations offering Wi-Fi access, while more than 12 million qualifying AT&T broadband and AT&T U-verseSM Internet customers will have unlimited free access to the Wi-Fi service.

• In addition, more than 5 million of AT&T's remote access services business customers will be able to access Wi-Fi service at Starbucks locations.

• AT&T will soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers

• This offering enhances the range of digital entertainment experiences for Starbucks / AT&T  customers including Apple with the continued rollout of the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks.

• In addition to the free Wi-Fi access for qualifying AT&T customers and any Starbucks Card holder, customers will be able to purchase tiered access to the AT&T Wi-Fi network at Starbucks at attractive price points.
  
  • For a two-hour period, customers will pay just $3.99 per session.
  • Monthly membership will also be available for $19.99 per month, and will include access to any of AT&T's 70,000 hot spots in 89 countries around the world.
  • AT&T business customers who subscribe to remote access services can also enjoy unlimited, flat-rate access plans at any Starbucks location offering Wi-Fi service or at other AT&T Wi-Fi hot spots.
  • Additionally, AT&T is providing Starbucks an enterprise-class network with increased bandwidth and redundancy.
  • And in the case of someone like me who is a U-verse customer, I get free WiFi at Starbucks.  Yippee!!

AT&T U-verse Expands HD Channel Lineup to Include More HBO HD Networks

Good news, AT&T U-verseTV customers.  The phone company as we no longer know it, is expanding its range of HD programming on HBO with the addition of   HBO2 HD, HBO Comedy HD and HBO Family HD.

With these additions, U-verse TV customers who subscribe to the HD service option have access to a lineup of more than 40 HD channels. Customers receive HBO channels with a U400 subscription or the addition of an HBO or Movie Package.

$10 A Month More and Worth It

For the price of 3 or so cups of Starbucks coffee, you can have a whole month of this stuff.
HD service is available for $10 a month with any U-verse TV programming package. All U-verse TV packages include HD-ready equipment, and most include an HD-capable DVR.

Click here to learn more about HBO HD programming.

Visit these AT&T Sites to Learn More:

Customers who want additional information on AT&T U-verse TV — or to find out whether it's available in their area — can visit http://uverse.att.com. U-verse TV customers can get more information about U-verse TV programming and television events by visiting http://uverse.att.com/uconnect.

AT&T to Launch AT&T | Dish Network Service in Nine Southeastern States

OK.  Stop the presses.  Or so to speak.

While my focus has been on U-verse and all the glorious wonders of cable, I mean IPTV, look for more coverage about Dish Network satellite TV from AT&T.

I have come to realize that not everyone can get U-verse, either because of where they live, or just because the phone company as we no longer know it isn't delivering the service to your neck of the woods (yet).

So, with all that being said, here is the news:

Since AT&T cut BellSouth a check and bought the place up, they are expanding DISH Network into the Southeastern part of the country.  No, it's not IPTV, but  from what I have seen it's still pretty cool.

The service, part of AT&T's video portfolio known as AT&T Advanced TV, will provide consumers throughout the company's nine Southeastern states with even more options when it comes to great programming, top-rated DVR and receivers and outstanding customer service.

3Screens News Summary:

• AT&T | DISH Network service features more than 250 popular, 100 percent all-digital television channels including movies, sports, news, international and family programming, plus commercial-free, CD-quality music channels.

• The service offers consumers greater control through powerful parental controls and DVR capabilities that can record, pause, skip recorded commercials and create instant replays through a 10-second skip feature. In addition, customers can access more than 75 national HD channels across the sports, movies, entertainment, family and educational genres as well as local channels, where available.

• A variety of affordably priced packages, featuring free Standard Professional Installation and three free months of qualified programming, a value of $119.97, are available with a 24-month commitment.

While all digital programming starts at only $19.99 a month, two of the most popular packages include:

• DishDVR Advantage with America's Top 100:  For $39.99 a month, customers will have access to more than 100 national and local channels.  DVR service is also included. 
• DishDVR Advantage with America's Top 200: For $49.99 a month, customers will have access to more than 200 national and local channels and more than 60 SIRIUS music channel included. DVR service is also included.

But Wait....There's Spanish, HD and More!

AT&T | DISH Network service also features robust packages for customers who desire Spanish-language programming and customers can easily upgrade to HD for as little as $10 more a month with qualifying packages.

In addition, customers can choose to bundle any AT&T | DISH Network service programming package with AT&T local, long distance, wireless or broadband services to realize additional cost savings, which can also be folded into a customers existing AT&T bill.

For more information, visit www.att.com/dish

And tell them Alan from 3Screens, referred you.

Couchville Now Lists AT&T U-verse Programming...

Good to see Couchville listing AT&T U-verse programming.

Just type in your zip code and your channel listing will appear.

My only critique to the folks at Couchville is that they are classifying U-verse at being a cable service, which it is not.  They need to create a new category: IPTV.

How I Would Improve The AT&T Experience Stores

Here's my suggestions on how to give the AT&T Experience stores a bit of life, spunk, and maybe a way to promote more store traffic....

By its name, an "Experience Store" should be a place where you can - well....experience. 

Sure, you can play with an iPhone, check out U-verse or HomeZone and of course play with any of the other various cell phones or PDAs.

That's all fine and well, but in each of the stores I have visited, I beg one simple question:  where was the experience?  What made my visit memorable?  What would compel me to either switch to AT&T or stay with AT&T?

That, in my mind, is what is missing from the "experience" of visiting an "Experience" store and here are a few suggestions.....

 

1.    A Suggestion Box- Complete With A Place to Sign a Release Form

Let your customers (especially social media / wired kids) have a suggestion box at the AT&T store where they could submit product and service ideas. 

Yes - a suggestion box - where they could sign an release form so your lawyers don't go nuts when they see how much brain power there is from young minds who get it.

2.  Sell AT&T Logo Merchandise

Come up with a line of creative t-shirts, hats, and accessories that you could sell - with your name on it.

3.  Sell magazines and books about entertainment, computing and wireless communications

Or just start off selling magazines like Rolling Stone, EntertainmentWeekly, MacWorld, PC Magazine or LapTop Magazine

4.  Let customers try making their own YouTube Videos in the Experience Store

Or better yet, develop how-to clinics by aligning yourself with YouTube/Google.  Promote these events on weekends, after school and during school holidays.  You'll get kids who bring their parents, who bring their checkbooks.

5.  Teach customers how to use social media tools like Flickr, Facebook, Twitter

In the same vein as item #4, develop how to clinics on the basics of social media.  Encourage community building, virtual social relationships that can be achieved on any IP platform or wireless device.  After all, this is a three-screens world we are moving to - correct?

6.  Wanna go head to head with Verizon, Sprint, and TMobile? 

Many AT&T locations are situated in major shopping centers that are located near other competing Verizon, Sprint and TMobile stores. This may be a bit off the wall, but why not hang a big banner in front of the store inviting prospective customers to  people to come and check out the AT&T store and then comparison shop against the others? 

Give then a comparison sheet and tell the three-screens story.  Given them rate and pricing information along with bundled service offerings they can direct shop.

Have them fill it out and then bring back their findings and then give them a T-shirt or some type of premium. 

While each market may vary, depending on what services AT&T can offer, but perhaps in neighborhoods like mine where you offer the full three-screens service offering, give it a try.

Overall, offer a better "experience."  Anyone care to comment?

New AT&T Store in My Neighborhood is Nice, But Dissapoints...

There is a new AT&T store in my neighborhood (Alamo Heights / San Antonio) that now offers the full range of AT&T products and services, including U-verse and HomeZone.

Like the other Experience stores I have visited, they are nicely laid out, the visual focus is centered on TV, and the staff is very friendly and professional.

But there is a problem:  it's just another retail store that with nice and friendly and professional people.  There is no soul, no story, no three-screens message that compels.

Tomorrow, I will be outlining what I think is missing from the present stores and on Monday I will be doing a post on what I would do if I could develop my own prototype store....and how I would shift the focus away from just schlepping products and services, and promoting communications and entertainment empowerment.

Stay tuned.....

IDC Research Shows That 90% of American Homes Don't Have 2+ HDTV's in Their Home. But That's Only Half the Story....

In looking back on questions I got from potential U-verse customers in 2007, one issue that kept resonating was the fact that at the present time, you could only get one HD stream at a time.

While multiple HD stream capability is expected to be deployed in 2008, the fact of the matter is that according to a survey by IDC, 54.5% of Americans have no HDTV in the house, 33.3% have 1 HDTV, 9.1% have two, 2.0% have three, and 1.0% have 4 or more HDTVs.

But that's only half of the story....

In our home, we do have 2 HD TVs.  However, both HD TVs are not always on all the time and even if both sets are on, we are not always both watching HD programming.

I would love to see IDC do another survey to see how many American families with multiple HD TVs actually are watching - or trying to watch HDTV programming at the same time.

How To Program Your AT&T U-verse Remote Control

Need to Program Your AT&T U-verse Remote Control?

Here is a handy step by step guide.   

Download it here:
Download remote_control_user_guide.pdf