What you need to know about the changes to DirecTV Now

There are two kinds of people out there — those who saw this coming, and everyone else. Either way, here we are.

DirecTV Now — which once upon a time launched with decent prices, really good promotions and a lineup that could compete with pretty much any other streaming service — has morphed into the sort of service you'd expect from a content provider owned by AT&T. You know, the company whose logo often is lampooned as the Death Star.

Here's what you need to know:

• New plans, new pricing: All of DirecTV Now's plans have been revamped. The cheapest (and least comprehensive) starts at $50 a month and includes HBO, but will be missing a lot of channels. The most expensive plan weighs in at $135 a month. Yes, you read that right.
• The old plans are getting more expensive, too: If you had one of the previous plans it's going up by $10 a month. And if you want to change plans, you'll lose what you've got and have to get one of the new ones.
• Free HBO is going away for new plans: If you're an AT&T Wireless Unlimited subscriber have that free HBO deal, don't change it. Because if you do, you'll lose that free HBO.
• See ya, Discovery, Viacom and AMC: OK, it's not that you can't get any of those channels on DTVN, it's just that you won't find them below the $93-a-month plan. Ouch.

Check out the full list of channels, plans and pricing
Alternatives to DirecTV Now
How to cancel DirecTV Now

And things likely will get weirder at some point, with the AT&T-owned WarnerMedia in the early stages of launching its own streaming service. Plus, AT&T WatchTV is still a thing.

Other than that? Business as usual over at CordCutters.com.

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