Comcast launches Stream, a $15 per month TV streaming service

[Scorpus]

Comcast has announced a new TV streaming service called Stream, which will give existing Xfinity internet customers access to "about a dozen networks" across a range of devices for $15 per month.

Stream will let subscribers watch TV shows from HBO, Fox, NBC and other unannounced networks on laptops, tablets and phones, provided they do so within their home while connected to their Comcast internet. As well as access to live TV, Stream will have a library of thousands of on-demand movies and TV shows.

The service will also come with TV Everywhere, giving subscribers access to various apps associated with the TV networks Stream includes. There will also be cloud DVR functionality to record live TV and watch it at a later date.

Comcast will first launch Stream in Boston at the end of the summer, followed by Chicago and Seattle. In early 2016, the company hopes to offer Stream across their entire United States network.

While Stream only costs $15 per month, the service is quite limited in who can access it: you'll need to be a Comcast internet customer, using the service through your Comcast connection in your home, to watch the various channels it includes. This differs to Sling TV, which streams a larger range of major cable channels to anyone in the US for $20 per month.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how many Comcast subscribers and cord cutters pick up the company's new Stream service when it launches in the coming months.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/61336-comcast-launches-stream-15-month-tv-streaming-service.html

 

[agb81]

Man, netflix is going to be throttled to oblivion

 

[robb213]

Man, netflix is going to be throttled to oblivion

I doubt it. They're already dealing with interconnection contracts between each other, so if Comcast decides to randomly do what it wants without notifying Netflix/affiliated CDN (or rather based on the terms of their deal), it'll probably just mean an easy to win lawsuit against Comcast.




Anyhow, I don't see this being very successful or rather more so than Sling. It just offers less than Sling from what it appears to be, hence it's a bit cheaper. And it will likely come chuck full of ads, which is why I'm utterly ignoring it. Whether or not it will remain exempt from data caps I think is up in the air with the current FCC administration being hostile against such practices.

 

[wiyosaya]

Man, netflix is going to be throttled to oblivion

I doubt it. They're already dealing with interconnection contracts between each other, so if Comcast decides to randomly do what it wants without notifying Netflix/affiliated CDN (or rather based on the terms of their deal), it'll probably just mean an easy to win lawsuit against Comcast.




Anyhow, I don't see this being very successful or rather more so than Sling. It just offers less than Sling from what it appears to be, hence it's a bit cheaper. And it will likely come chuck full of ads, which is why I'm utterly ignoring it. Whether or not it will remain exempt from data caps I think is up in the air with the current FCC administration being hostile against such practices.

Agreed.
Personally, I see this as yet another attempt to continue to siphon money out of the pockets of the customers of "traditional" TV providers who would like to see their gravy train continue ad-infinitum. I doubt many cord-cutters will sign on for this as it is still more expensive for less content than Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc.

 

[PuSHiSLaND]

I have the fastest connection that Comcast offers residentially in the Seattle area.. I am not exaggerating when I say that I cannot stream a single piece of content from their own service while at home without MASSIVE buffer issues.. I have had the techs out to inspect my modem and coax wiring in the house... NOTHING is wrong, but they cant figure out why I cant stream live or on demand without having the stream flat out drop with an error (that they/in house techs have no idea what means)

the running joke is (@ work w/ a true gigabit internet connection @ MS Campus Redmond) .. I say that "I am going to start a slideshow" and my office mate says "why do you torture yourself!?" and then I ask him "what show should we pretend we are watching?" (we do testing, that includes web stream playback) .. he and everyone with a head on their shoulders knows this is NEVER going to work.. they cant support their CURRENT customers.. how are they going to take on more!?

..oh, and its 2x the price of other established (FULLY FUNCTIONING) services like Hulu and Netflix with even less content!? wtf are they smoking!?