Spectrum Broadly Launches A La Carte TV Streaming To Challenge Sling TV And DirecTV Now
Spectrum TV Choice was initially only available in a few pilot markets, but according to a new report, it has been expanded to "most" of Spectrum's existing markets including those that were once serviced by Time Warner Cable (until Spectrum took over).
The service may be appealing to some, as right off the bat you gain direct access to all of your local TV programming. That means that you have ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS in your streaming portfolio. Of course, you could also get those channels with an over-the-air (OTA) antenna, but Spectrum TV Choice allows you to watch streaming content from your smartphone, tablet, PC, Roku or gaming console (a la Xbox One) instead of just on a big screen television.
From there, you are given a choice of 10 channels from a list of 65 that you can pick for your individualized service. A wide selection of channels is included to choose from like ESPN, AMC, CNN, Disney Channel, HGTV, Fox Sports, TBS, etc. Like competing services, there is also a premium add-on pack that you can select which includes HBO, Showtime, The Movie Channel, Starz, and Starz Encore.
Spectrum TV Choice reportedly is priced at $21.99 for the first two years, and a $3.00 service fee is tacked on each month bringing the total to $25. The premium channel bundle pack adds on another $15 per month, or you can choose each channel at $7.50 each per month.
For comparison, DirecTV Now's basic "Live a Little" package gives you 60+ channels for $35 a month, while Sling TV's cheapest offering will set you back $20 a month for 30 channels.
Compared to DirecTV Now and Sling TV, Spectrum TV doesn't appear to be all that competitive on pricing (given the stingy number of channels that you get), but the ability to pick exactly which channels you want might be attractive to some.
Dish Network announced this week that Sling TV has 2.2 million subscribers that have cut the cord, which puts it in the lead for a la carte TV streaming services.
