When the Justice Department unsuccessfully filed an action to block AT & T's $ 85 billion merger with Time Warner, it argued that the combination of the two companies would result in higher prices for consumers. but prices are rising for some AT & T customers. Since the official merger on June 14, AT & T has raised prices for its offers, including a $ 5 price increase for each of its broadcast plans. continuously DirecTV Now.

DirecTV's new starting price is $ 40 a month. for some 60 channels. The reason? AT & T said:

This increase follows the introduction by AT & T, a week after the close of its Time Warner merger, of an Unlimited & More "Unlimited" wireless subscription. months, the plan costs $ 5 more than the unlimited basic plan that was already in place.

AT & T offers more features on this new plan – it included a free package of the new WatchTV streaming service that AT & T announced the same day. WatchTV is an example of "Skinny Beam", with a list of more than 30 channels of live streaming – including some Time Warner properties such as CNN and TNT – and more than 15,000 TV shows and movies on demand : It costs $ 15 a month in standalone mode, but the truth is not that all AT & T wireless customers will be interested in the new streaming service.

With rival bundles available like Sony's PlayStation Vue and Dish Networks' Sling TV – and maybe if reports turn out to be true, eventually Apple – we could well enter into an intense competitive period no price cuts, but "my package is richer than your bundle." Sling TV is starting at $ 25 a month for 30 channels, and PlayStation Vue starts at $ 39.99 for about 50 channels. The two companies have just announced price increases

To learn more: Nobody said that cutting the cord would be easy

] Read more: Time Warner Fusion, AT & T Launches WatchTV Streaming Service, Unlimited New Plans

You may not even notice a price change on your wireless bill , but for AT & T, you save the merger.

As noted by Walter Piecyk, a BTIG analyst, AT & T has increased its monthly administrative expenses twice in the last quarter, with June rising to $ 1.99 from 76 cents in three months only. The cost was only 61 cents when it was introduced in 2013, says Piecyk.

The fee, which is allocated to "postpaid" mobile phone bills as well as to smart tablets and watches, could allow AT & T to increase its wireless revenues by $ 970 million; that Piecyk writes in a note to investors. "

AT & T states that" this is a standard administrative fee in the wireless industry, which helps cover the costs we incur for items like cells. site maintenance and interconnection between carriers. "

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