U-Verse coming to Xbox 360, Windows Phone

by: Dan - posted: 10/11/2010 9:00:00 AM

Engadget brought word back in October about a rumor that AT&T U-Verse customers would be able to use their Xbox 360 as a set top box. Today, during the Windows Phone press event, Ralph de la Vega of AT&T announced that U-Verse would not only be able to be streamed to the Windows Phone (via U-Verse app), but also confirmed that the Xbox 360 will indeed be able to be used at a U-Verse set-top box starting on October 15th.

We will have more on this as the details emerge.

UPDATE DAN: Added official press release.  Kits will cost $99 and a tech will have to come out and install the U-Verse software on the Xbox 360.

AT&T Extends TV Watching to More Devices With Launch of U-verse TV on Xbox 360

AT&T To Also Make Popular U-verse Mobile App Available Nationwide, Starting with Windows Phone 7 Devices in Time for the Holidays

DALLAS, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The country's fastest growing and top-rated TV service is coming to more devices nationwide. Using the power of its AT&T U-verse® IPTV platform, AT&T* is quickly making content and features available across more screens and devices, and today announced two innovative ways to watch hit TV shows.

AT&T and Microsoft today announced the Oct. 15 launch of U-verse TV on Xbox 360 for U-verse customers, which lets you enjoy the U-verse TV experience on your existing Xbox 360 device, replacing the need for an extra receiver in your home. AT&T is the first TV provider in the U.S. to offer live TV service through an Xbox 360.

AT&T also announced the upcoming launch of U-verse Mobile for Windows Phone 7 devices. Beginning in November, the popular U-verse Mobile app will be preloaded so that any AT&T wireless customer with a Windows Phone 7 device — whether or not they are a U-verse TV customer — can download and watch hit TV shows while they're on the go. This is the first time an AT&T U-verse service will be available nationwide.

"Now you can get our award-winning U-verse services on your big screen TV, online, on your mobile phone, and integrated with your Xbox 360," said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "Our IPTV strategy is putting AT&T at the forefront by delivering U-verse content where you want it. And now we're extending the U-verse experience to more AT&T smartphone customers with the upcoming launch of U-verse Mobile on Windows Phone 7 devices."

"AT&T has a legacy of innovation and teamed up with Microsoft to build a differentiated all-IP TV offering to enable the future of TV services for their customers," said Andreas Mueller-Schubert, General Manager of the Media Platforms Business, Microsoft Corp. "We're excited to extend that relationship today through new initiatives that make TV anywhere a possibility, delivering rich entertainment experiences for consumers across multiple screens, inside and outside the home."

Using your Xbox 360 as a U-verse receiver, you can receive chat and game invitations from friends through Xbox Live while watching live TV and switch seamlessly from game to TV mode without switching video inputs on your TV screen. You will enjoy virtually the same U-verse TV experience and features available today, including the ability to watch live TV, manage and play back DVR recordings and access interactive apps, your program guide, the On Demand library and more. U-verse TV on Xbox 360 also allows customers to avoid an extra box on their entertainment center and the need to pay a monthly rental fee for an additional receiver.

New customers can order the $99 Xbox kit at 1-800-ATT-2020 when they subscribe to U-verse, and a U-verse technician will load U-verse software on their Xbox 360 during their service installation.

In November, any AT&T Windows Phone 7 owner will be able to access U-verse Mobile, a popular app that lets you download and watch hit TV shows on your smartphone. You can browse or search a library of downloadable shows, and select which series or specific episode you want to download over Wi-Fi.

For all AT&T U-verse TV customers, U-verse Mobile also lets you manage your DVR recordings; customers with qualifying TV plans get the download and watch capability included at no extra charge. AT&T Windows Phone 7 users without a qualifying U-verse TV plan will be able to subscribe to download and watch with U-verse Mobile for $9.99 per month. The ability to download and watch hit TV shows with U-verse Mobile is the first national U-verse offering available for AT&T customers, and is another example of how AT&T is delivering more content to more customers in more places.

U-verse TV on Xbox 360 and U-verse Mobile are just a few of the latest ways that AT&T is mobilizing everything that's important to customers — their favorite content, apps, entertainment and social networks. AT&T today delivers the nation's fastest mobile broadband network as well as the nation's largest Wi-Fi network.

AT&T U-verse TV, which uses the Microsoft Mediaroom platform, is the only 100 percent Internet Protocol-based television (IPTV) service offered by a national service provider, making AT&T U-verse one of the most dynamic and feature-rich services available today. AT&T U-verse TV ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction in the North Central, South and West Regions," according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction Studies(SM). For additional information on AT&T U-verse — or to find out if it's available in your area — visit AT&T U-verse.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.