Residents of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and surrounding areas will soon have a new choice when it comes to television service, as AT&T U-verse is now being deployed in the area.

That is bad news for Cox cable, and to a lesser extent satellite TV companies Dish Network and Direct TV. Cox cable in particular has come under fire in recent years as they have continued to raise rates on their subscriber base. The new U-verse service is not yet available everywhere in Baton Rouge, but will be deployed over the next several months as networks are upgraded to offer the service.

AT&T U-verse uses the latest VDSL technology to deliver high speed internet, voice, and cable TV service to subscribers over the existing network. Cox cable customers in Baton Rouge have been able to bundle services for several years now, though the price hasn’t always been right. U-verse TV, voice, and internet services offer an alternative to Cox, and new customers can often get a great deal. Current AT&T offers include their “Buy Two, Get one Free” internet special, and various cash back incentives are also available if you order U-verse online.

Video competitors Dish Network and Direct TV may also feel the impact of AT&T U-verse coming to a new market. While satellite television companies cannot offer triple play bundles unless they partner with the local phone company, they have been able to capitalize on the high prices most cable TV companies charge.

Additional information on AT&T U-verse service can be found by visiting or calling these AT&T retail locations in Baton Rouge.

Mall of Louisiana – (225) 767-4761
6770 Siegen Lane – (225) 293-0576
419 S. Range Ave. Denham Springs – (225) 791-0448
5810 Main Street, Zachary – (225) 658-9705
3111 S. Sherwood Forest – (225) 293-4036
Cortana Mall – (225) 924-7611
Towne Center – (225) 924-2443

AT&T announced a new promotional plan today to entice customers to try out their U-verse service. This time, the plan is to try snag more customers by offering them free internet service if they buy two addtitional AT&T services.

The “Buy Two, Get One Free” promotion will offer U-verse internet service to those who subscribe to U-verse TV (U200 package or higher) and either AT&T Wireless service or the U-verse unlimited home phone product. Customers who have both services will then get the U-verse Pro high speed internet for six months free. If you are using AT&T Wireless as part of the promotion, you have to have the National 450 or higher to be eligible for the free internet offer.

According to AT&T, U-verse Pro is worth $30 a month, so a new customer would see savings of $180 total. The new U-verse promotion does offer some flexibility to those who have abandoned their old home phone service in favor of using wireless phones all the time. Instead of having to have a triple play bundle that requires a landline, customers can still have the U-verse triple play and enjoy the flexibility of using their cell phones instead.

The new U-verse promotion is already available in several midwestern states including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin. AT&T expects to launch the free internet promotion into all areas where U-verse is available in the coming weeks. The promotion is scheduled to run until March 20, 2010.

So with “Buy Two, Get One Free” coming soon everywhere, does that mean that the popular U-verse cash back promotion will be pulled? Too soon to tell, as many of the U-verse cash back deals run until mid-September. It will be interesting to see if AT&T pulls the plug on the cash back offers that have brought in many new subscribers.