The largest cable TV operator in the U.S. is launching Internet TV for $15 a month

In the era of mobile Internet, the TV market has undergone tremendous changes. From China to the United States, more and more consumers are watching live TV channels or on-demand programs through the Internet. Some traditional cable TV companies and TV stations have also begun to transform and start providing TV services through the Internet.

According to the Associated Press, Comcast, the largest cable TV company in the United States, announced on Monday that it would officially launch an Internet streaming TV service with a monthly subscription price of $15. Comcast's move means that the traditional TV industry in the United States and even the world has embarked on a path of transformation.

Monthly subscription: $15

Comcast's streaming TV service is called "Stream". As a cable TV company, Comcast is also one of the largest broadband service providers in the United States. This streaming service is mainly for Comcast's broadband users, with a monthly subscription of $15.

In the first batch of services, in addition to the famous movie and TV series channel HBO, Comcast mainly provides channels such as Fox and NBC that are broadcast free of charge via airwaves. It does not yet include traditional cable TV pay channels such as AMC and TNT.

It is reported that the general public currently only needs to pay more than $20 for a TV antenna to enjoy free broadcast channels. HBO has already launched a streaming TV service to all Internet users, charging $15 per month.

At first glance, Comcast's Internet channels are not very attractive to consumers. However, the company said that it will gradually add more TV channels in the future. A Comcast executive said that by March 2016, streaming TV users will be able to watch all the channels that traditional cable TV can watch. In addition, in terms of charges, streaming TV will also be similar to traditional cable.

Collective transformation of the industry

Comcast was relatively late in the TV industry's entry into the field of Internet streaming TV. Dish Network, one of the two major satellite TV giants, officially launched an Internet TV service called "SlingTV" earlier this year. The monthly fee is $20, and more than 20 TV channels can be watched, including well-known channels such as ESPN, AMC, and "Food Network". Subscribers can also subscribe to HBO additionally.

In addition to pay-TV operators, well-known channels and TV stations such as CBS, HBO, and Showtime have also begun to provide streaming TV services directly through the Internet, bypassing middlemen such as cable and satellite TV.

Of course, Internet and technology companies are the best. Sony has launched Internet TV services in three cities in the United States. The cheapest package is $50 per month for 50 channels, but Sony's service has been accused of being too expensive and not as economical as the Internet.

Apple started to provide streaming music service in July, and according to multiple media reports, Apple is negotiating copyrights with American TV stations and will follow Sony's example to launch a monthly streaming TV service. Apple's monthly subscription fee may be around US$30, and more than 30 channels can be watched. Apple's smartphones, computers, tablets, set-top boxes and other hardware devices will become the landing platform for this streaming TV service.

It is reported that compared with communication charges, the charges for cable and satellite TV in the United States are still too high. The average monthly income of Americans is $3,000, but the charges for cable TV can easily exceed $70. Cable TV often bundles hundreds of channels, but consumers only like a few popular channels. The channel bundling of operators has caused dissatisfaction, which is one of the reasons why consumers have begun to watch TV series or streaming TV through the Internet.

Abandoning huge mergers and acquisitions

Comcast is a giant in the U.S. television media market. In addition to providing television, telephone communications, and broadband services through cable TV networks, Comcast also has a significant influence on television stations, program content, and the entertainment market.

Previously, Comcast proposed to acquire Time Warner Cable, the second largest cable TV network operator in the United States, for $45 billion. If successful, a giant cable TV operator would be born in the United States. The market opposed the merger and acquisition deal, and eventually the US regulators also expressed opposition. In April this year, Comcast finally gave up the acquisition.

In May, Charter Communications, another US cable TV operator, announced that it would spend $55 billion to acquire Time Warner Cable.

There are some limitations on the service

Comcast said on Monday that streaming TV will be available in Boston "in late summer," followed by Chicago and Seattle, and will be available to all of its broadband customers in the U.S. by early next year.

According to statistics, at the end of the first quarter of this year, Comcast had 22 million broadband users. It is worth mentioning that many cable TV companies have more broadband users than TV users because many Internet users have given up TV services.

It is reported that in order to avoid conflicts with existing cable TV services, Comcast has also imposed some restrictions on Internet streaming TV services. For example, it can support smartphones, computers, tablets, etc. on devices, but does not support viewing on smart TVs.

The "Stream" service will provide a short-term storage service for programs, which can store a total of 20 hours of TV program videos.

Many young consumers like to share Internet TV service accounts with friends and family. Comcast said that the company's service will support up to two devices for simultaneous viewing with one account.

Like Dish's streaming TV service, users can disconnect or activate Comcast's service at any time on the Internet. In traditional cable TV, consumers often complain about being tied to service contracts.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.