AT&T Announces U-verse IPTV Service Coming To Xbox 360 Friday

AT&T announced today that Xbox 360 support for its U-verse IPTV service would officially launch this Friday, October 15. The service, currently available in 22 states, is the first in the U.S. to allow live TV playback through the Xbox 360, and also offers on-demand programming and interactive apps. The Xbox 360 version will also allow users to "manage and play back DVR recordings," according to the announcement, though it seems the Xbox 360 itself will not be able to record U-verse programming. While U-verse service on the Xbox 360 requires subscribers to have at least one standard U-verse receiver, subscribers that use their Xbox 360 as an additional receiver will avoid monthly rental fees from AT&T. However, AT&T requires Xbox 360 users purchase a $99 "Xbox kit" and have software installed by a U-verse technician, with an additional $55 charge for existing U-verse customers. "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, Microsoft's General Manager of the Media Platforms Business. "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." AT&T also announced today that U-verse service would be available to Windows Phone 7 devices on AT&T's network starting in October. Windows Phone 7 users without an existing U-verse TV subscription will be able to access the mobile content for a $9.99 monthly fee. IPTV on the Xbox 360 was first announced and demonstrated by Microsoft at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show. Since then, Netflix's streaming video service has attracted millions of users on all three major consoles and Hulu's has brought its Hulu Plus subscription service to the PlayStation 3, with Xbox 360 support planned for early 2011.