Spectrum debuts $15 cable streaming service for Apple TV, iPhone, iPad users

AppleInsider

For $15 per month, the Spectrum TV Essentials streaming service will provide more than 60 channels to an Apple TV or iPhone for customers of the company's internet service that don't have a cable television package.

At launch, Spectrum TV Essentials will be available for $14.99 plus tax. The lineup will be streamed through the Spectrum TV app, and will be available on a wide range of platforms.

Networks available on Spectrum TV Essentials include: A&E, AMC, American Heroes Channel, Animal Planet, AXS TV, BBC America, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, BET Jams, BET Soul, Bloomberg, Cheddar, CLEO TV, CMT, CMT Music, Comedy Central, Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, DIY, Food Network, FYI, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HDNet Movies, HGTV, HISTORY, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Logo, MotorTrend Network, MTV, MTV2, MTV Classic, MTV Live, MTVU, NewsmaxTV, Newsy, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Nick Music, NickToons, Outdoor Channel, OWN, Paramount Network, Science Channel, Sundance TV, Teen Nick, TLC, Travel Channel, TV Land, VH1, Viceland, The Weather Channel and WEtv. Broadcast channels are not included.

"As the video marketplace continues to segment across price points and offerings, we believe a high quality, lower priced option for internet-only subscribers is very important," said Viacom President and CEO Bob Bakish about the offering. "We're excited to have our global brands as part of Spectrum TV Essentials at launch."

The Spectrum TV app arrived on the App Store on January 3. With the release, Charter Spectrum became the first U.S. basic cable company to offer support for tvOS 12's zero sign-on functionality.

Apple's zero sign-on automatically authenticates existing subscriptions, allowing users to seamlessly access channels and on-demand content provided through their selected cable bundle. Zero sign-on is an evolution to single sign-on, which debuted in 2016 to streamline the log in process for a growing number of third-party video streaming apps.

linkman

Notably absent is ESPN. But with ESPN's restrictive licensing policies and high price there is no way Spectrum could offer this package at this price. Adding ESPN would probably raise it by $10-$15 per month.

My experience with Spectrum is that they advertise $14.99/month plus tax but there are always a bunch of fees that they tack on. I had their cable + internet for a while and the fees added up to something like $9/month. Franchise fees, broadcast subscriber fees, universal access fees, pork belly cleaning fees, blah blah blah. I'll look up one of my old bills later and detail the exact amounts.

fasterquieter

I would likely have signed up for this if it had included broadcast channels. I can't get a signal where I live, so I cannot get them over the air. Oh well, at least we're getting closer to realistically priced crappy tv.

mike1

linkman said:

Notably absent is ESPN. But with ESPN's restrictive licensing policies and high price there is no way Spectrum could offer this package at this price. Adding ESPN would probably raise it by $10-$15 per month.

My experience with Spectrum is that they advertise $14.99/month plus tax but there are always a bunch of fees that they tack on. I had their cable + internet for a while and the fees added up to something like $9/month. Franchise fees, broadcast subscriber fees, universal access fees, pork belly cleaning fees, blah blah blah. I'll look up one of my old bills later and detail the exact amounts.

We'll have to see what happens here, but most of the fees are just taxes mandated by one government agency or another for traditional cable connections. In theory, those shouldn't apply here as the service is not being regulated like a utility. But, as I said, we'll see.

waxxel

So if you have this plan, would it allow you to sign into individual networks apps that require cable service provider login? Like ABC requires cable service provider login. 

libertyforall

So can I get this if I don’t use their other services and live in a Comcast area?

seanismorris

ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, TNT?

So, throw a bunch of crap together and hope someone bites?

jimh2

What is the out the door price after they have added there many fees and taxes?

jimh2

AppleInsider said:

For $15 per month, the Spectrum TV Essentials streaming service will provide more than 60 channels to an Apple TV or iPhone for customers of the company's internet service that don't have a cable television package.

At launch, Spectrum TV Essentials will be available for $14.99 plus tax. The lineup will be streamed through the Spectrum TV app, and will be available on a wide range of platforms.

Networks available on Spectrum TV Essentials include: A&E, AMC, American Heroes Channel, Animal Planet, AXS TV, BBC America, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, BET Jams, BET Soul, Bloomberg, Cheddar, CLEO TV, CMT, CMT Music, Comedy Central, Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, DIY, Food Network, FYI, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HDNet Movies, HGTV, HISTORY, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Logo, MotorTrend Network, MTV, MTV2, MTV Classic, MTV Live, MTVU, NewsmaxTV, Newsy, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Nick Music, NickToons, Outdoor Channel, OWN, Paramount Network, Science Channel, Sundance TV, Teen Nick, TLC, Travel Channel, TV Land, VH1, Viceland, The Weather Channel and WEtv. Broadcast channels are not included.

"As the video marketplace continues to segment across price points and offerings, we believe a high quality, lower priced option for internet-only subscribers is very important," said Viacom President and CEO Bob Bakish about the offering. "We're excited to have our global brands as part of Spectrum TV Essentials at launch."

The Spectrum TV app arrived on the App Store on January 3. With the release, Charter Spectrum became the first U.S. basic cable company to offer support for tvOS 12's zero sign-on functionality.

Apple's zero sign-on automatically authenticates existing subscriptions, allowing users to seamlessly access channels and on-demand content provided through their selected cable bundle. Zero sign-on is an evolution to single sign-on, which debuted in 2016 to streamline the log in process for a growing number of third-party video streaming apps.

Most of these channels can't command pricing of any type and are happy to get a few cents a month from another couple of viewers.

spamsandwich

I’m not just a cord cutter, I’m a “cable never”. So... no.

jimh2

seanismorris said:

ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, TNT?

So, throw a bunch of crap together and hope someone bites?

Thanks to some unnecessarily restrictive and anti-competitive laws you won't see the networks on this for the vast majority of country. Even if your locals do eventually make it onto the App you won't be able to watch them unless you are in your area due to these rules.

appleish

NewsmaxTV? Talk about a niche property.

Pass.

labadbigbird

Hell I just take the dodger channel how much please

racoleman29

No free local TV networks...not quite ready.

andrehinds

SpamSandwich says he's a cable-never. Really? I'll bet his favorite song starts out, "Hey, hey, I'm a Monk."

davgreg

The list of channels could also double for those in danger of oblivion should a la carte ever come to pass. A lot of these “networks” have audiences smaller than the local news on a single network affiliated channel commands in a medium sized market.

I am currently on YouTube TV with PBS Passport ($5 a month to any members station unlocks all their streaming) and HBO Now. It is far less than Comcast was charging, but still too much for the advertising fest that is commercial TV. I just do not watch enough TV to be happy with anything but a la carte.

As to ESPN, I would happily pay per view on sports events, but have no desire in subsidizing Disney’s empire of schlock and sports gossip.

dhawkins541

I'm somewhat intrigued with these offerings. I have the $15 discount package from DirecTV Now and it offers about the same amount of channels and don't get locals currently but is it worth trading Disney/espn for more channels I'd watch versus ones for my kids and sports I don't watch? Thankfully, I've got a Tablo to get locals and it works perfectly. 

christopher126

Pass. Not a complete offering. Just a lot of crap channels.

spaltzer

Where is the exact list of supported Apple devices? 

Too little too late for me, I will stick with Philo.
https://www.philo.com

edited February 2019

pscooter63

Coincidentally, I just cut my Spectrum cable service today. (Keeping their Internet, though, as it's the most viable of my choices.)

Around here, Spectrum is pushing a streaming package altogether different... pick any ten of most of the above (including ESPN national networks in that choice), plus local channels thrown in, for $21.99/month.

You can flip your ten choices from month to month, as you like.

I think I heard that the price is expected to increase year over year for the foreseeable future.

daven

mike1 said:

linkman said:

Notably absent is ESPN. But with ESPN's restrictive licensing policies and high price there is no way Spectrum could offer this package at this price. Adding ESPN would probably raise it by $10-$15 per month.

My experience with Spectrum is that they advertise $14.99/month plus tax but there are always a bunch of fees that they tack on. I had their cable + internet for a while and the fees added up to something like $9/month. Franchise fees, broadcast subscriber fees, universal access fees, pork belly cleaning fees, blah blah blah. I'll look up one of my old bills later and detail the exact amounts.

We'll have to see what happens here, but most of the fees are just taxes mandated by one government agency or another for traditional cable connections. In theory, those shouldn't apply here as the service is not being regulated like a utility. But, as I said, we'll see.

No. They separate fees from taxes. It usually goes like this:

widget tax: 20¢
Fee the company is charging you to recover the 20¢ we paid in addition to the 20¢ we are billing you: $2.00

total cost to customer:$2.20

edited February 2019