AT&T offers DirecTV customers $500 to switch lines

AT&T is offering customers of DirecTV U-verse could get a $500 credit a limited period offer to switching to AT&T for their wireless service.

Under the offer, customers would receive a $300 credit for each line they ported, provided they purchased a new smartphone with an AT&T Next plan. Customers could also receive a $200 trade-in credit or gift card for eligible devices.

The deal comes after AT&T's completion of its $48.5-billion takeover of DirecTV last month.

AT&T completed the acquisition emerging as the country's biggest provider of TV subscriptions,  (See: AT&T completes DirecTV acquisition)

"This is a unique offer and unlike anything we've ever done - all to celebrate DirecTV now being part of the AT&T family," AT&T Mobility chief marketing officer David Christopher said in a statement. "This is another way we're making it better when you choose TV and wireless from AT&T."

According to AT&T, a family of four could receive $2,000 in total credits, so long as everyone switched to AT&T, bought and activated a new smartphone on AT&T Next, and traded in their existing smartphones. The deal would be available to consumers and business customers.

As an added bonus, users would get a $10 monthly discount, if they combined their DirecTV or U-verse TV and AT&T wireless services on one bill.

The discount would continue so long as users kept both services combined on one bill, totaling $120 annually.

AT&T's limited period offer would end on 4 October and was available only in select locations.

The offer comes with several nuances to what AT&T was ultimately offering.

AT&T was also sweetening the offer with 10,000 Plenti points, a rewards programme that gives users perks at Exxon, Macy's Mobile and Rite Aid. However, though commentators say that might not be attractive for people who did not shop at any of those locations.