AT&T Pushes Low Price in Dish Network Packages

$19.99 Monthly DishFAMILY Tier Offers Some 40 Family-Friendly Channels

By Robert Marich -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/3/2008 12:34:00 PM

AT&T Advanced TV emphasized low pricing in unveiling the market launch of Dish Network as its satellite-TV supplier with a rock-bottom $19.99 monthly tier.

The cheapest TV-channel package of the AT&T-Dish service is called DishFAMILY, with around 40 “family-friendly” channels

Telco giant AT&T previously announced that Dish would become its satellite-TV supplier starting in April in nine Southeastern states, replacing DirecTV.

In unveiling new Dish pricing, AT&T said the following are expected to be its most popular packages, with both including digital-video recorders:

• “DishDVR Advantage with America’s Top 100” retails for $39.99 per month with more than 100 national and local channels.

• “DishDVR Advantage with America’s Top 200” at $49.99 provides more than 200 national and local channels and 60 Sirius Satellite Radio music channels.

The most expensive Dish package on the AT&T Web site is America’s Everything Pak at $94.98 per month with 250 channels including HBO, Showtime and Starz.

“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,” an AT&T announcement said. “In addition, customers can access more than 75 national HD channels.”

AT&T bundles local phone, long-distance phone, wireless and broadband with Dish service.