As if almost responding to our recent skepticism on rollouts of the U-verse IPTV service, AT&T announced the initial launch of service in limited areas across the Milwaukee and Racine metropolitan areas. AT&T intends to increase availability throughout the area.

For those in that area, AT&T has a promotion where new customers can receive two months of free TV with 60-day money back guarantee through June 30. See their website for details.

That now places AT&T U-verse services in parts of 13 markets across five states. AT&T now puts the tally at nearly 7,000 U-verse customers in markets across the United States.

AT&T U-verse offers customers a combination of digital television, including more than 25 High Definition channels, and broadband Internet access.

AT&T U-verse TV features include:

• A variety of TV packages with more than 300 channels, including digital music, local, and movie and sports programming.
• More HD programming than the local cable provider. AT&T U-verse offers customers access to a growing lineup of more than 25 HD channels, along with HD digital video recording (DVR) capability. New HD customers can receive two months of free HD service ($10 per month thereafter).
• Web remote access to digital video recorder (DVR), which allows high speed Internet customers to schedule recordings using their AT&T Yahoo! account. This feature is unique to AT&T among local providers.
• The ability to record up to four programs at once using a DVR receiver.
• Built-in picture-in-picture functionality that allows subscribers to "channel surf" on any television without leaving the program they're watching.
• Specially designed set top boxes, manufactured by Motorola, all of which are HD-capable and include universal remote controls that provide backlit buttons and one-touch access to video-on-demand, DVR, and other services.
• A Spanish-language package featuring novelas, movies, news, sports, children's programming, talk shows and more. New customers can receive the package at no charge for the first two months ($10 per month thereafter).
• A growing video-on-demand library with one-touch access to movies and events.
• Fast channel-changing, reducing the delay experienced with other digital broadcast services.
• The ability to search for programs using title or actor's name.
• Three TV receivers — one with a DVR, which allows customers to pause, rewind, replay and record live TV — at no extra charge with most programming packages. Customers may add more receivers for $5 each per month.

Customers can choose from five TV and three Internet packages. Current AT&T U-verse TV offers start at $44 per month, depending on the selected programming and Internet packages (other monthly charges apply).

Three packages of AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet U-verse Enabled will be made available to AT&T U-verse customers:

• Elite: Downstream up to 6.0 Mbps, upstream up to 1.0 Mbps.
• Pro: Downstream up to 3.0 Mbps, upstream up to 1.0 Mbps.
• Express: Downstream up to 1.5 Mbps, upstream up to 1.0 Mbps.

All high speed Internet packages offered as part of AT&T U-verse include wireless home-networking at no charge. Subscribers also receive e-mail storage, anti-virus and anti-spam software.