With the recent announcement of the Sling Television service, which allows consumers to watch popular television channels through streams, many people are wondering, if now is the time to cut the cord on their cable. The Sling TV definitely offers some amazing features, which were previous left out and aren’t available, with other services, such as Amazon Prime and Netflix. But is it really possible to cut the cord and save money, as a Sling user?
Sling TV Channels and Features
The Sling Tv is somewhat of a Netflix for live television streaming. With the service, you will be able to watch ESPN, HGTV, TNT, TBS, AdultSwim and several other channels directly from your Internet enabled device. At the moment, the streaming TV service can be used, with Amazon’s Fire TV and Roku Player, with Xbox and Nexus Player streaming coming soon.
Of course, all of the traditional streaming devices are also available, including iOS devices, Android phones and tablets, Mac computers and Windows computers. This will give you the ability to stream some very popular television channels, whenever you wish. All of this will be done through an Internet connection, which is crucial, but will be covered more in-depth later. However, with the wide range of compatible devices, it is likely everyone will be able to find a way to use the service.
The pricing is actually very consumer friendly, with the most comprehensive plan starting at $20 a month. On top of that, it is possible to cancel anytime, as there are no commitments. With this basic package, you will receive several channels including TNT, ESPN, TBS, Cartoon Network, HGTV and even the Food Network. If the service is a success, it is certain new channels will be added.
The Bad
There is one major flaw, within the Sling television campaign. However, this is not necessarily a flaw, with the service or company itself, but it could be a situation, where the company failed to plan ahead. With the recent implementation of bandwidth data caps, by Internet providers, on their customers, such services are walking a fine line. At the moment, Comcast is testing a 300 gigabit monthly bandwidth limit in many areas, which can effectively kill such services, while hindering users to enjoy Amazon Prime and Netflix.
Of course, Comcast (Xfinity) isn’t the only devious company. AT&T, Version and other similar companies have already implemented plans, with similarities and oftentimes even less of a monthly threshold. If these bandwidth data caps cannot be stopped, services, such as Amazon Prime, Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, Hulu and Sling Television are likely to suffer dramatically.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, The Sling Television is an impressive service, which will likely improve in the future, by adding new content and channels. On the other hand, the price is right and the ability to cancel at anytime is nice. The real problem for cord cutters is that there is still going to be a cord to untangle, which comes in the form of their ISP’s cable, which is already tightening around consumer’s throats. The service can be a success, if consumers aren’t restricted, by greedy Internet service providers. Otherwise, Sling Television and similar services are likely to suffer.
Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.