And some channels, such as BBC World News, FXM (the FX movie channel), Logo, NHL Network, Nick Jr., Oxygen, and the Smithsonian Channel, are available only in the pricier plans. What you don’t get: Some local channels and regional sports networks aren’t available in all markets or in the most basic plan. That’s much pricier than most stand-alone streaming media players, though it does support 4K videos and has a voice remote and Google Assistant built in. AT&T also sells its own Android-based player, which costs $120 up front or $5 per month for 24 months. You can use an app on streaming players such as Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku, on Android and iOS phones and tablets, and on some Samsung smart TVs. One good thing about the newer DirecTV Stream service is that you don’t have to rent a box. More recently, HBO Max and Discovery+ were merged into a single streaming entity, called Max, although you can still subscribe to Discovery+ separately.Īll of the services come with on-demand shows and movies, and unlimited cloud DVR storage. Last year Discovery and WarnerMedia completed a merger the new entity is called Warner Bros. Those both represent $5-a-month increases.Ĭustomers with legacy plans also got hit with monthly price increases of either $5 or $10, with plan prices ranging from $85 to $115 a month. The Ultimate plan (with Starz) now costs $110 a month, while the Premier plan (with Max, Cinemax, and Showtime) is $155 a month. The service’s Entertainment plan now costs $75 a month, a $5-a-month price hike, while the Choice plan-the cheapest plan that provides regional sports networks-jumped $10, to $100 a month. The company raised prices on all plans at the beginning of 2023, making DirecTV Stream among the most expensive streaming alternatives. DirecTV Stream-essentially the DirecTV satellite service without the dish-is the name for the company’s earlier AT&T TV and AT&T TV Now streaming services. The top-tier package includes premium channels such as Max, Showtime, and Starz.ĪT&T has been doing a lot of rejiggering lately, including spinning off its DirecTV satellite TV business into a new entity, also called DirecTV. What you get: Plans start around $75 per month for a mix of live TV stations and cable channels. In general, video streaming services have been adding more local broadcast channels, such as ABC and CBS, but these are not always available in all communities. To find out what you can receive, go to each company’s website, plug in your ZIP code, and see what’s available in your area. The content can vary by region, especially when it comes to local channels. Most of these cable replacement services let you add genre- or theme-based channel packs, plus premium networks such as Max or Showtime, for an additional monthly fee. ![]() All except Philo combine at least a few live local channels with a smattering of cable networks, at prices that typically range from about $45 to $70 per month. The services that stream regular cable channels include AT&T’s DirecTV Stream, the sports-focused FuboTV service, Hulu + Live TV, Philo, Sling TV, and Google’s YouTube TV. ![]() Instead, these services try to replicate what you’d get with a traditional pay-TV package, but at a lower price. These cable replacement services are very different from streaming services such as Apple TV+, Max, and Netflix, which let you watch individual TV series and movies on-demand. That’s why we took care to list all the major services you can stream premium live TV on, for how much, and what you’re getting for your money. The downside: While consumers now have viable alternatives to traditional TV providers, the growing selection of live streaming services has added complexity to the decision. Instead, consumers can choose a streaming service without paying cable TV prices or signing unbreakable commitments. This isn’t just a forecast-some smaller regional cable companies, including WOW and Mid-Rivers, have dropped TV offerings altogether. Here’s a sobering statistic for cable TV executives: Major cable and satellite TV providers have lost about 25 million subscribers over the past decade, according to the research firm eMarketer.
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