The DIRECTV.com Home Page is now pitching new customers to subscribe to the live streaming service, DIRECTV Now, as well as traditional pay TV plans from its satellite service.

(See update below.)

This would seem to be a significant change for AT&T, which owns DIRECTV. While Bloomberg News has reported AT&T would like DIRECTV Now to be the company’s primary TV service in three to five years, the telco has been careful in public not to interfere with the marketing effort of the satellite business.

According to Archive.org, which maintains historical records of web sites, DIRECTV.com’s Home Page did not even mention DIRECTV Now until March 30. (The live streaming service launched on November 30.)

Prior to March 30, the Home Page of DIRECTV.com featured promos for various AT&T data plans bundled with DIRECTV’s satellite service, and the top features of DIRECTV’s satellite offering.

On March 30, however, the design for the home page of DIRECTV.com was dramatically changed to look very similar to the Home Page of DIRECTV Now. (The design for the home page of DIRECTV.com has not been changed since March 30; a picture of the new design accompanies this article.)

The main headline reads, “DIRECTV Is Part of AT&T.” Under the subhead, “More ways to watch than ever” are click buttons for DIRECTV Now; DIRECTV’s satellite service; and DIRECTV For Business.

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Discovery CEO David Zaslav recently said DIRECTV Now has more than 400,000 subscribers, which is an impressive number after slightly more than four months. But AT&T may feel it’s time to give the live streaming service an added boost by highlighting it on DIRECTV’s main satellite TV page seen by new customers. (The Home Page for existing customers still does not mention DIRECTV Now.)

I have asked AT&T for a comment and will report back here if I get more information.

Update: An AT&T spokesperson says DIRECTV Now has always been on Directv.com but it’s now being displayed differently.

While it’s true that there were a few references to DIRECTV Now at Directv.com prior to March 30, it was never mentioned on the Home Page, or featured as a package option for new customers until then. March 30 was the first time that a new customer visiting DIRECTV.com was permitted to order the streaming service at the site.

Phillip Swann

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