Can commercial customers get AT&T TV?

AT&T TV is a great choice for folks who can’t or won’t get satellite installed. You get almost the same selection as you do with DIRECTV satellite, but you can install yourself with no drilling. There’s nothing to put outside. It uses your internet connection and nothing more. That’s a great solution for folks in homes and apartments, but it’s really not designed for commercial use. In fact, there is no option for using AT&T TV in a commercial setting.

Why isn’t there a commercial option?

The biggest reason is that business internet tends to act a little different from home internet. Businesses tend to pay more for internet, and they get less. You may pay less than $100 a month for home internet, but a business could pay five times that and get slower speeds.

At the heart of it, the problem is that home internet is priced to keep in mind that people live pretty closely together in most areas. That means the cost of wiring and infrastructure is lower on a per-person basis. On the other hand, businesses are in larger buildings, often with big parking lots. This means the cost to service one customer is higher with businesses than it is with homes.

But what if you wanted AT&T TV at work?

So look, I’m not saying you couldn’t bring the AT&T TV box into your bar, restaurant or shop. I’m also not saying that you couldn’t install the app on your phone or streaming box, or use it on a work PC. I’m just saying that it’s basically the same thing as bringing in a DIRECTV receiver from home and we all know that’s a bad idea.

Blame those content providers because as any bar owner will tell you, the rules are different for shows you’re going to broadcast into a public space. The licensing is all different and in many cases it’s more costly. You know how every sports program and every movie has a disclaimer saying it’s for “private, noncommercial use only?” That’s what I’m talking about. It’s literally something you can get sued for doing, and it would be pretty easy for the other guys to win because they can use basic internet tools to determine where you are.

What can you do to stream live TV in your workplace?

There’s really nothing wrong with streaming AT&T TV using their app on your phone, or the computer you use personally. If you have a private office, you’re also ok. But you can’t use AT&T TV in a setting where people congregate, even if it’s closed to the public. For now, there isn’t a good streaming solution for public spaces, so if you’re interested in getting the best television experience, check out SolidSignal.com or call us at 888-233-7563 and we’ll custom-build a DIRECTV solution for you that is not only super-awesome, it’s super-legal.

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.