AT&T plans to merge DirecTV Now and WarnerMedia SVOD: report

Details are continuing to roll out about WarnerMedia’s new streaming service, which reportedly eventually will merge with virtual MVPD DirecTV Now.

According to CNBC, the combined product would have a common search and user interface, and could be offered in a discounted bundle along with AT&T wireless service. The report includes lots of other potential details about the WarnerMedia streaming service including price and launch date.

AT&T is reportedly eyeing a $15-to$18-per-month price range for the service, which wouldn’t put it much further ahead of HBO and HBO Now. At that price the service would include HBO content along with Warner Bros.’ TV series and movies, Cinemax and original content. The report said that once the platform is up and running (it will get a beta release this year before officially launching in 2020), a reduced-price ad-supported option will be added.

The report also said there will be live content like CNN and sports added to the service. WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey also said that the WarnerMedia streaming service could eventually open up its platform for other streaming services, similar to what Amazon Channels, the Roku Channel, Apple’s new channels service and Comcast’s Xfinity Flex have already done.

RELATED: WarnerMedia SVOD will bundle HBO, Cinemax, Warner Bros. for $16-$17 per month

The details in CNBC’s report line up with information in reports from other outlets, including the Wall Street Journal.

Stankey told CNBC that the plan is to grow the WarnerMedia service to about 70 million subscribers. But the service will have lots of competition as it sets about hitting that goal.

Existing streaming services including Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Netflix already control major parts of the streaming video market in the U.S. and internationally. And, many more streaming video services are launching soon.

Disney+ is coming in November this year and will be priced at $6.99 per month, much lower than the reported prices for WarnerMedia. Also, coming soon is Apple’s streaming service for its original series and movies, NBCUniversal’s ad-supported streaming service and Quibi, a short-form content service that will start out at $5.99 per month.