AT&T (News - Alert) announced today the launch of AT&T Homezone, an expanded service that features remote access to home entertainment, combining AT&T | DISH network and AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet services, Internet-Based video on demand, music on demand and digital photo-sharing into a single device.
The service is available today across AT&T's broadband coverage area. (Service will not be immediately available in Connecticut). The telecom first made the service available in San Antonio, San Diego and throughout Ohio this summer.
The service seems to act like a universal remote control for all of the customer's entertainment needs. It integrates Internet-based video with satellite TV programming, bringing Internet content from the desktop to their TV screens and stereos. It also features digital videorecording, movies on demand, photo and music-sharing and storage for both.
With AT&T Homezone, customers will be able to view pictures from their AT&T Yahoo! Photos account; listen to AT&T Yahoo! LAUNCHcast radio (including their customized station); access movie show times and reviews from AT&T Yahoo! Movies; and, with AT&T Yahoo! Web Remote, as well as schedule and manage DVR recordings through a Web browser on their PCs.
AT&T Homezone will be available to new AT&T | DISH Network residential customers who currently subscribe or plan to sign up for AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet and the 2Wire home networking gateway. Customers can add on the new service for an extra $9.99 per month.
“Through AT&T Homezone we are offering our customers a new way to experience home entertainment and communications, maximizing the strengths of integrated broadband and satellite delivery for entertainment,” said Rick Welday, chief marketing officer, AT&T Consumer in a statement released on Wednesday. “It also offers net-based remote access to the system, features that differentiate it in the marketplace, and it underscores our strategy to integrate the three screens that many consumers value the most today—the TV, PC and wireless phone.”
AT&T tapped 2Wire for the company to develop a receiver for Homezone. The receiver integrates entertainment content wirelessly, sharing data with a 2Wire home networking gateway that communicates with the AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet connection. This in-home integration drives content for movies on demand, or music and photos from the PC and AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet portal to the TV.
The telecom has plans to launch a High Definition (HD) version of the receiver in the future, as well as new music and video content from content providers Yahoo! and Akimbo. AT&T also plans to enable customers to eventually program their DVR and use other "remote access" features through their Cingular (News - Alert) wireless phone.
With today’s announcement, AT&T gets closer to bundling all areas of telecommunications in the home in one package. Just last month, news sort of “leaked” about the telecom might be getting ready to launch a new VoIP calling service. Dubbed U-verse Voice, the service would be bundled into a triple-play package of services for its U-verse customers. These customers currently receive DSL
access and digital television services.
Preliminary information about the service was only made available online to U-verse customers on their Yahoo! welcome Web page. According to the information posted on the page, in addition to lower cost calling, the service will also feature integrated caller ID which will appear on the television screen; and integrated home phone/Cingular Wireless messaging which will be accessible from any PC and telephone. The service’s official launch date is yet to be known.
AT&T Inc.
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