AT&T Remote Controls U-verse

By Digital Trends Staff April 19, 2007

Stuck in traffic and clenching your teeth that you’re about to miss the first opening notes of American Idol? Don’t fret, says AT&T. At least if you’re a customer of the telecom giant’s U-verse service that is. Customers can now schedule and manage their U-verse TV recordings from an AT&T wireless phone or device, the company reported today.

Here’s how it works: Using a wireless phone that is supported by AT&T and is WAP 2.0 compliant, a customer can search through a listing of television programs, then set which programs he would like to record on the DVR, a device that can pause, rewind, play and record content. Once the user is home, the programming will be available for viewing. Previously recorded content can also be managed remotely, the company says. The Mobile Remote Access service is free for AT&T customers who subscribe to both U-verse TV service and Internet service, however customers will have to fork over for the wireless and data usage.

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"Any television viewer can relate to the frustration of forgetting to program his or her DVR. Now, whether they’re at the airport or stuck in traffic, AT&T U-verse customers can rest assured they won’t miss their favorite shows," said Rick Welday, chief marketing officer-AT&T Consumer in a statement. "This is one more way that AT&T is putting customers in control of their entertainment experience, and it’s another compelling feature from AT&T U-verse that goes beyond cable offerings."

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