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Tag: broadcast TV

  • Comcast Continues Its Race to the Bottom With $27 ‘Broadcast TV’ Fee

    Comcast Continues Its Race to the Bottom With $27 ‘Broadcast TV’ Fee

    Comcast is once again showing why it is among the most hated companies in America, charging customers a $27 “Broadcast TV” fee.

    While broadcast TV can be accessed for free via an antenna, cable and other TV providers must pay a fee to retransmit those stations. Despite the transmission fee, the amount of this price hike is substantial and may be difficult for customers to swallow, given the state of the economy.

    The TV Answer Man was the first to break the story, including the amount Comcast is raising prices:

    Comcast has started notifying customers and municipalities that it plans to raise video and Internet prices next month, including a whopping $7.35 a month increase for the Broadcast TV fee in one town.

    Comcast confirmed the price hike to The TV Answer Man:

    “TV networks and other video programmers continue to raise their prices, with broadcast television and sports being the biggest drivers of increases in customers’ bills. We’re continuing to work hard to manage these costs for our customers while investing in our broadband network to provide the best, most reliable Internet service in the country and to give our customers more low-cost choices in video and connectivity so they can find a package that fits their lifestyle and budget. Our national average increase of 3.8% is about half of the most recent rate of inflation.”

  • Streaming TV Only 26% of Market But Growing Fast

    Streaming TV Only 26% of Market But Growing Fast

    Streaming TV may be constantly in the news, with a new service seemingly cropping up every week, but it still comprises a minority of the market.

    Netflix, HBO Max, YouTube, Hulu and others are growing in popularity, but they still don’t match more traditional TV options. According to CNN, the latest Nielsen data shows the streaming market accounts for a mere 26% of the American TV market.

    In contrast, traditional broadcast TV accounts for 25% of the market, while cable TV still accounts for 39%. An additional 9% is covered by “other,” including VOD and DVD players.

    Another significant difference between traditional and streaming TV is the engagement of the viewers. According to Nielsen’s data, streaming subscribers tend to be active viewers, intentionally seeking out and watching specific programs. In contrast, broadcast viewers are often more passive, leaving the TV on in the background or casually channel surfing.

    No one knows how long it will take for streaming TV to overtake traditional options, but the degree of subscriber engagement is a promising sign for the future of the market.

  • T-Mobile Kills TVision, Customers Receive YouTube TV and Philo Discount

    T-Mobile Kills TVision, Customers Receive YouTube TV and Philo Discount

    T-Mobile has announced it is effectively killing off its TVision streaming service, less than a year after its debut, steering customers towards YouTube TV.

    T-Mobile unveiled TVision in October 2020, promising to revolutionize the streaming TV industry. The company’s foray into television, while not quite as revolutionary as T-Mobile promised, was nonetheless a competitive offering. TVision offered a wealth of channels at a price that was among the cheapest options available.

    Unfortunately, T-Mobile’s efforts to offer customers what they want quickly raised the ire of its broadcasting partners, especially with its cheapest Vibe package. Vibe included over 30 lifestyle and entertainment channels for $10 per month. As a result of the disputes, T-Mobile decided to bundle all 30+ of its Vibe channels with its more expensive Live packages for free.

    The resistance T-Mobile faced forced the company to reconsider its entire position in the streaming TV industry, and it appears a graceful exit is what it has decided on, effective April 29. The company has partnered with Google and Philo to give its customers a $10 per month discount.

    That means T-Mobile customers get exclusive access to the best pricing on the highest-rated streaming service, YouTube TV, starting at just $54.99 per month. And, access to streaming TV through Philo starting at just $10 per month for a limited time.

    The company emphasized that, in many ways, this is an upgrade over TVision. YouTube currently offers more than twice as many channels as TVision, while Philo has some of the most popular entertainment and lifestyle channels, much like the Vibe package. Customers who purchased the TVision Hub streaming device will be able to access both services on it.

    The company acknowledges this is an unexpected change of direction, saying “innovation seldom follows a straight line.” However, T-Mobile emphasizes it will continue to advocate for customers in the TV industry, an industry that is widely viewed as one of the most hated and consumer-unfriendly in America.

    Our mission hasn’t changed and is more relevant and important than ever. This TVision initiative is only getting stronger with these changes, and our new TVision partner offerings will give customers more choices as we wind down TVision LIVE and VIBE services on April 29. Our experience has shown us consumers need an advocate in this space. They don’t want more streaming services – they want help buying and navigating the services that already exist. And they want exclusive deals and special access. We’ll continue to play that role, giving our customers the best value with the best streaming services. So millions can cut the cord with the Cableopoly once and for all.

    With this latest flexing of its muscles, the TV broadcasting industry has given customers another big reason to hate it. Hopefully, T-Mobile will be able to deliver on its promise to continue fighting for the consumer…even if it no longer has its own TV service.