AT&T DirecTV Choice Package Review & Channel Lineup [2022]

The second rung on the DirecTV package ladder is called ‘Choice’, and that’s what we’re looking at today. It features over 105 channels on DirecTV Stream, or over 200 if you opt to subscribe via satellite.

The price you’ll pay for those will be $89.99 for DirecTV stream or $79.99 for satellite, rising in the second year. But there are special rates and other price and contract factors involved.

We think DirecTV Choice is best for sports fans who aren’t interested in spending the extra on the movies and kids channels of Ultimate or the full package of Premier.

And there’s a lot more to consider on top of that! I’ve been doing extensive research into DirecTV choice in order to bring you everything you need to know about it. As a result, I’ll be covering the following subjects today with regards to it:

Let’s get right into it.

AT&T DirecTV Choice Pros and Cons

Our favorite and least favorite things about this package are:

Pros

  • Good deals on opening months
  • Lots of good bolt-ons
  • Nice range of sports channels
  • Choice between satellite and streaming
  • Only $5 more than entry level package on satellite
  • Stream on unlimited devices

Cons

  • More expensive than the competition
  • Long contracts for satellite option



A Look at DirecTV (Previously Known as U-verse)

You might know DirecTV by the name of U-verse, but that’s changed now. Either way, it’s AT&T’s television service, and you can either stream it or watch it through satellite.

Each of these has their own pros and cons as we’ll cover throughout this article but to summarize: satellite is more expensive and has long contracts but has more channels.

If you opt for DirecTV Stream, you’ll be able to stream on unlimited devices at home. That is, of course, provided you have fast enough internet to do so. DirecTV Stream requires 8 Mbps of bandwidth per device [1]

With both the streaming and satellite services, you’ll be able to take DirecTV on the go. You can download the app and stream television wherever you are online, with up to three devices streaming simultaneously. 

You can choose either option alongside any of the following plans:

PlanMax price per month(Stream/Satellite)Number of Channels (Stream/Satellite)What You Get
Entertainment$69.99/$10275+/165+All the best basic channels
Choice$89.99/$124105+/200+Entertainment plus loads of sports and more
Ultimate$104.99/$154140+/270+Choice plus movie channels
Premier$149.99/$209150+/340+Everything you could want, including HBO Max, SHOWTIME, STARZ etc.

As you go up through the levels, you’ll get more channels and other benefits, but you’ll also pay a higher price. 

Of course, we’ll be looking at the second level up today, Choice.

AT&T DirecTV Choice: Is it Right For You?

DirecTV Choice is a fantastic package if you’re into sports. That’s because the main extra channels you get with Choice above Entertainment are sports ones. That includes plenty of sports, the number of which vary depending on the area you live in.

But it’s not just about the sports here. There are a few other extras you get on top of the standard Entertainment plan (which features all the classic channels).

So, make sure you stay tuned for the section on the DirecTV Choice channels. Then you can weigh them up against the price and make the call that works for you.




The Cost of AT&T DirecTV Choice

If you want to go with DirecTV Stream, DirecTV Choice will cost you $69.99 per month for your first 2 months, before it goes up to $89.99 thereafter. There’s no minimum contract for this package, so you can take it up for as long as you like.

DirecTV Satellite is different. Here, you’ll need to commit to at least two years. For the first year, the price of Choice on satellite will be $79.99 per month after an initial couple of months at $69.99.

At the 12 month mark, that price jumps up to $124 per month. A big gap indeed.

The good news is that this is the only price you pay with satellite. The price per month includes the cost of a satellite and the fixing of it. You’ll just need to pay a one time activation fee of $19.95 to start the contract, and we don’t think that’s too bad.

For DirecTV Stream, there is another cost involved: the price of the streaming device. 

By the way, the reduced price for the first two months could be subject to change at any time. So if you can’t see that deal on the website, it might have already expired by the time you read this.

A final thing to note here is that none of the prices include taxes and fees. There are a few of these to look out for, so consult our guide to AT&T hidden fees before you make a decision.

AT&T DirecTV Choice Channel Lineup

Here’s a rundown of all the channels you get with the standard Entertainment package on DirecTV Stream. This selection of channels are the bare minimum you’ll receive with any DirecTV package. 

A&EAccuWeatherAMCAnimal PlanetAXS TV
Baby First HDBBC AmericaBETBlack NewsBloomberg TV
BoomerangBravoC-SPANC-SPAN 2Cartoon Netw…
Cleo TVCMTCNBCCNNCNNi
Comedy CentralDiscoveryDisney ChannelDisney JuniorDisney XD
E!ESPNESPN2Food NetworkFox Business
Fox NewsFox WeatherBally Sports 1FreeformFX
FXXGEM ShoppingHallmarkHallmark MovieHGTV
HistoryHLNHSNInvestigation…Lifetime
Motor TrendMSNBCMTVMTV 2National Geo…
NBC SportsNickelodeonOvationParamount TVQVC
QVC 2ReelzRevoltRFD-TVSundanceTV
SyfyTBSTCMTeen NickTLC
TNTTruTVTV LandTV OneUSA Network
VH1ViceWE TV

So, with that in mind, here’s a look at the extra channels you get with Choice.

ACCNHDBig Ten Netw…Cheddar NewsCNBC WorldComedy TV
Cooking ChnlCozi TVESPNEWSESPNUGAC Family
Game Show NwGolf ChannelGRITHeroes & IconsJustice Central
MLB NetworkNBA TVNick JrNick ToonsOWN
POPScienceSEC NetworkShortsTVTastemade
Tennis ChannelThe Weather ChTravel ChannelTVGUniMas
UPtv

Note that there are several Spanish language channels that are not included in the lists above. For the full listing, take a look at this page.

AT&T DirecTV Channel Add-Ons

If you’re liking the sound of DirecTV Choice so far but feel like it’s missing a few things, don’t worry. You can bolt on additional channels and packs for an extra monthly cost if you wish.

Firstly, there are a selection of individual channels to choose from. They’re as follows:

ChannelPrice per month
HBO Max$14.99
SHOWTIME$10.99
Cinemax$10.99
STARZ$10.99
EPIX$5.99
AMC+$6.99
Hallmark Movies Now$5.99
Lifetime Movie Club$3.99
A&E Crime Central$4.99
ALLBLK$4.99
Fox Nation$5.99
HISTORY Vault$4.99
Pantaya$5.99
UP Faith & Family$5.99
Revry$6.99
DOGTV$4.99

Note that the prices listed above are for DirecTV Stream. There may be slight differences between the price here and that of the satellite version.

If you prefer, you can add on the Movies Extra Pack which features the following channels:

  • Hallmark Drama (Ch. 564)
  • Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Ch. 565)
  • HDNet Movies (Ch. 566)
  • MGM HD (Ch. 567)
  • Sony Movies (Ch. 568)
  • Smithsonian Channel (C. 570)
  • Crime + Investigation (Ch. 571)
  • MTV Live (Ch. 572)
  • ShortsTV (Ch. 573)

Interestingly, this only costs $5 per month right now. That means it’s actually cheaper than adding on one or two of those channels separately. Of course, this could be subject to change at any time! 

Furthermore, DirecTV Choice is the first package where you can add regional sports. This is not available with Entertainment. It comes at an additional cost of $11.99 per month.

If you like the sound of any of those channels or the pack, you can easily add them to your DirecTV account at any time. Just log in on a computer and navigate to ‘Manage My Subscription’. You’ll find all the add-ons in there.

AT&T DirecTV Availability

Good news! DirecTV is available in every single state. This means that to some level, every state is covered by both the DirecTV Stream and DirecTV Satellite services [2].

It should also be noted that the service will not reach some of the more rural areas of these states. You can find out a little more about what service you can get from DirecTV at this link.

Plus, if you’re going to go with DirecTV Stream, you’ll need fast enough internet to get it. The minimum requirement for this service is 24 Mbps.

The vast majority of people in the US will have fast enough internet for this, but more rural areas may not. 

Also, remember that this is the bandwidth required for just one stream. If you’re planning on sharing the service with other users, you’re going to need an extra 24 Mbps for each of them.

To find out whether you have fast enough internet to get the usage you want from DirecTV Stream, we recommend running a speed test at home first. 

If you don’t have the speed you feel like you need, you’re probably going to be better off with the satellite service. 

Find out more information about AT&T and its availability here.

AT&T DirecTV Choice vs Other DirecTV Packages

Here’s a quick look at the price of Choice vs the other three packages:

Package NameNumber of ChannelsStreaming PriceSatellite Price (first year/second year)
Entertainment75+/165+$69.99$74.99/$102
Choice105+/200+$89.99$79.99/$124
Ultimate140+/270+$104.99$99.99/$154
Premier150+/340+$149.99$149.99/$209

None of these prices include additional fees, such as taxes. So before you commit to any of them, check out our guide to those hidden fees with AT&T.

Interestingly, Choice is just $5 more than Entertainment per month over satellite for the first 12 months of a 24 month contract [3].

The second 12 months changes, however, and that price difference becomes $1234. This makes the gap $49 per month.

For DirecTV Stream, the price is totally different. You’ll need to pay an extra $20 per month if you want to upgrade to Choice. And you’ll only get 30 more channels. But, as we have just discussed, they are pretty good channels!

Regardless, we still feel that DirecTV Choice offers better value for money than Entertainment. But only if you think you’ll get the benefit of those extra channels.

Make sure you check out Ultimate and Premier as well, before you make a final decision. There just might be some channels in those packages that you feel like you can’t live without!

AT&T DirecTV Choice vs the Competition

Remember, DirecTV is far from the only TV service in the US. You may also have other options, but this depends on where in the country you’re located.

Let’s take a look at some of the main competition for DirecTV and see how it fares by comparison. The following packages are the most similar price-wise to that of DirecTV Choice. Of course, most of these companies have other plans too. 

We’re going to be looking at the streaming services from these providers as AT&T is the only company to provide a satellite TV service. Something to think about if you have slow internet!

PlanPrice per monthNumber of ChannelsPrice per Channel
DirecTV Choice$89.99105+$0.85
Verizon More Fios$90300+$0.30
Xfinity Premier$89.99185+$0.48
Hulu & Live TV$69.9975+$0.93

As you can see, DirecTV Choice is actually quite a bit more expensive per channel than the competition.

The actual channels themselves are different so don’t make your decision based on numbers alone. But overall, we can say that Verizon and Xfinity offer better value for money.

That being said, you might actually not have much choice. Because of availability, there isn’t much crossover between which service is available where. So that’s the first thing to look into.

AT&T DirecTV Choice FAQ

Here’s a few more things people have been wanting to know about DirecTV Choice.

Which equipment do I need for DirecTV Choice?

If you opt for DirecTV Stream, you’ll need a streaming device. AT&T will offer to lend you one at a cost of $5 per month for a 24 month contract or $10 per month for 12 months. Alternatively, you can buy it for a flat rate of $120.

However, we recommend avoiding paying for it altogether. Instead, you can buy a Google Chromecast or something similar for around $30. Or, you can simply add DirecTV directly to your Smart TV in some cases. Samsung has its own DirecTV Stream app, for example.

What does DVR mean?

If you’ve been eyeing up the satellite package, you’ll probably have come across ‘DVR’. It simply stands for ‘Digital Video Recorder’, and it refers to the hardware you get. This is connected to your satellite and it allows you to watch and record your favorite shows.

How do I get set up with DirecTV?

It should be pretty simple to get set up with AT&T DirecTV Stream or satellite, but there might be some costs involved. To find out more about how to get started, you can look at our guide on how to get set up with AT&T.

Final Thoughts on AT&T DirecTV Choice

Even though DirecTV Choice is pretty expensive compared to the competition, it’s still a pretty cool service. It has some of the best channels, and it’s available in a large amount of the US. You could do a lot worse!

Hopefully, you’ll feel like you have enough information to make a decision on it and know what to do next. And you might want to pick up AT&T internet to compliment it. If you do, make sure you check out our ultimate guide to AT&T Fiber. It’s the perfect companion for DirecTV Stream.




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