Convenient Nationwide Billing

BY KYLE ANDREW BROWN

DALLAS, August 4 – AT&T is making a big splash in the consumer cell phone business this week. The legacy phone company started by the telephone’s inventor Alexander Graham Bell is breaking new ground. Ma Bell is marketing the nation’s first-ever  combined cellular TV programming package.

Ma Bell’s marketing blitz goes goes by the handle All-In-One bundle.

Just last month AT&T closed the deal on it’s purchase of Direct TV. They’re the satellite provider being eclipsed by streaming video.

AT&T is doing the quick fix for DirectTV and bringing content programming to their cellular network.

The official launch of the AT&T All-In-One bundle is August 10. Some AT&T stores are already moving product. A check of the company’s consumer portal shows the marketing people are patching together some POS graphics and text.

Here’s how the AT&T All-In-One bundle works:

• Promotional Rate of $200 month for one year.
• All-In-One bundle combines TV and cellular service.
• First nationwide combined bundle provider.
• Single billing.
• Four wireless lines.
• Four television receivers.
• Early Termination fees up to $480.
• 10 GB of sharable data.
• High definition DVR service.

There’s not much going on here. No real savings on the hefty cellular cable charges already out there.

10 GB data will zip by with one binge Netflix’s night.

So plan on upgrading beyond $200.

Now, there’s gonna be a lot of hype in the coming days showcasing AT&T’s breakout as the nation’s first provider of combined cellular and television programming. USA Today, Washington Post and CNET type media outlets are busy copy pasting Ma Bell’s press release.

It’s all so exciting.

Truth be told it’s all about AT&T signing up new customers and retaining the existing base.

All-In-One is basically just a remake of the old Ma Bell Family Plan: The $200 month rate is $160 for four cell phones with 10 GB of shared data – plus $50 for very basic cable less a $10 discount.

Be sure to add in all those hefty state and local taxes. Plus AT&T’s recovery fees of the taxes she pays.

Gonna need to up sell to a reasonable data plan, too, for when off the wifi.

We’re thinking AT&T All-In-One bundle is all about making a marketing splash for the company’s plans to send out monthly bills starting at $200.

Millennials already know how to get around AT&T’s All-In-One bundle.