AT&T Launches U-verse Enhancements

AT&T is all set to launch a series of enhancements to AT&T (News - Alert) U-verse at no extra cost as part of customers' existing subscriptions. The enhancements include upgraded DVR capabilities, increased downstream speeds for AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet Max customers, and a new On Demand Top Picks application.

The AT&T U-verse enhancements will provide customers more flexibility over their entertainment experience. U-verse TV customers will also be able to access integrated applications such as personalized, on-screen weather, sports, traffic and stock information via AT&T U-bar; local and national weather forecasts on-demand and remote access to the DVR from any web-connected PC or wireless phone.

The new AT&T U-verse Total Home DVR feature will be expanded market-by-market. The feature provides the ability to schedule and manage recordings from any U-verse receiver. Customers will be able to set or delete recordings from any room in their home, instead of from the DVR receiver room only.

 

All AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet Max customers have been provided with increased downstream speeds from up to 10 Mbps to up to 12 Mbps. This 20 percent increase in speed is provided at no extra cost. Up to 12 Mbps downstream speed is available to all new and existing U-verse Internet residential and business customers who subscribe to the Max service.

The new On Demand Top Picks application will enable U-verse TV customers to view On Demand recommendations based on their past video rental history. Customers will be able to view a list of the top ten On Demand titles U-verse TV customers are renting at present. The application will also give customers the opportunity to rate a movie they have previously rented. Such ratings will then be averaged into other U-verse TV customer ratings and displayed next to the title in the On Demand recommendations list. On Demand Top Picks will be available to customers in only select cities in the coming weeks.

The Web Remote Access to DVR enhancement powered by Yahoo! will enable faster browsing of the program guide; sorting the program guide by genre, favorites or High Definition (HD) channels; referencing recently recorded shows and upcoming scheduled shows on a side panel. The feature will also enable targeted searching by title, actor, and channel and personalizing of favorite channels. U-verse TV customers will also be able to utilize sub accounts in addition to their U-verse master account login to access this application.

A more simple and streamlined way to navigate and find programming will also be launched alongside the Total Home DVR upgrade. Users will be able to select Enter to pull up a panel of options to jump to another channel, time or day to find the programming they want to watch from within the U-verse programming guide. Users will also be able to select Enter while watching live TV to bring up a side panel that allows them to select from zoom and audio options. All U-verse TV customers will have unlimited access to Starz at no extra charge during July.