Tag Archives: dish

Sony Takes Internet TV Service PlayStation Vue Nationwide

Hoping to attract cable TV cord-cutters and cord-nevers, Sony ( SNE ) on Monday took its Internet-based PlayStation Vue service nationwide. Sony launched its live and on-demand TV service in March 2015 in test markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco and Miami. PlayStation Vue offers “skinny TV” bundles of channels starting at $29.99 a month, with no long-term contracts or hidden fees. It competes with a similar online service from Dish Network ( DISH ) called Sling TV. PlayStation Vue boasts that it offers the most popular channels, including AMC, CNN, Discovery, Disney and ESPN. However, content from ABC, FOX ( FOX ) and NBC is available for now only as on-demand content in Vue’s Slim multichannel plans. Most on-demand content will be available within 24 hours after broadcast. CBS ( CBS ) programming will be added later, Sony said in a press release . Sony Network Entertainment International (SNEI) said that it is working to add live local broadcast stations across all networks. Vue offers three service plans. Access Slim has over 55 channels and costs $29.99 a month; Core Slim has over 70 channels for $34.99 a month; and Elite Slim has over 100 channels for $44.99 a month. The Vue service is accessible through Sony’s PlayStation 3 and 4 game consoles, Amazon.com ( AMZN ) Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, as well as the Apple ( AAPL ) iPad and iPhone with the Vue mobile app. “Since launching a year ago, our priority with PlayStation Vue has been to secure the best TV content for our audience and make it available to consumers nationwide; today, we’re delivering on that promise,” Eric Lempel, senior vice president of marketing and head of SNEI’s PlayStation Network Americas, said in a statement. “PlayStation Vue has been an ambitious project from the start, and national expansion demonstrates our ability to innovate in an industry that’s overdue for a reinvented experience. “Thanks to the strong network relationships we’ve forged and technology we’ve built, consumers nationwide can enjoy a better way to watch TV.” Sony PlayStation Vue has program deals with AMC Networks ( AMCX ), CBS, Discovery Communications ( DISCA ), Disney ( DIS )/ABC Television Group, ESPN, Fox, NBCUniversal, Scripps Networks Interactive ( SNI ), Turner Broadcasting and Viacom ( VIAB ). Vue also offers customers a cloud-based DVR, which allows users to store thousands of hours of content with conflict-free recording.

Verizon Go90 Off To ‘Slow Start,’ Says UBS, Based On Apple Store

The Verizon Communications ( VZ ) Go90 mobile video service is off to a slow start, says a UBS report, based on a study of app downloads at the Apple ( AAPL ) iOS store. The Go90 mobile video service — ad-supported and free to users — launched in late September, targeting millennials (adults ages 18 to 34) and gen Zers (teens). “Go90 appears to be off to a slow start, with its best showing around No. 300 when ranked against all apps in the iTunes store and No. 20 when ranked against other entertainment apps,” said the UBS report. Verizon’s Go90 is usually lumped with emerging over-the-top (OTT) video services, such as Dish Networks ’ ( DISH ) Sling, but the mobile app also competes for millennial attention with the likes of YouTube, Facebook ( FB ), Instagram and Snapchat, says UBS. “We believe Go90 will be hard-pressed to mount a meaningful challenge to mobile video and social networking leaders YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Netflix ( NFLX ) and Hulu,” wrote UBS analyst John Hodulik in the report. “That said, Verizon is pulling various levers to ramp up interest in and usage of Go90, including more live and exclusive content and free data for Verizon Wireless customers.” One Verizon challenge is that Facebook and  Alphabet ’s ( GOOGL ) YouTube garner the most mobile ad revenue. UBS studied downloads at Apple’s iOS store. “While downloads do not reflect app usage and engagement, we believe the two metrics are highly correlated in the medium to long term,” said the report. Verizon has not disclosed Go90 subscriber data. The service is not expected to be profitable for a few years. Go90 offers a mix of original Web TV series, live sports, concert streaming, prime-time TV and other short-form content. “Initial download trends suggest Go90 is doing better within the iPhone base relative to other entertainment applications, but appears to be lagging in the iPad market. This supports our view that the product is seen as a truly mobile service more geared to short-form content,” wrote Hodulik. Verizon stock was down a fraction in morning trading in the stock market today , above 52 and within range of a 51.30 buy point first touched Feb. 25. Verizon ranks No. 4 in the most recent IBD Big Cap 20. Image provided by Shutterstock .

AT&T Aims To Outdo Verizon, Dish With Streaming-Video Offensive

Leveraging its acquisition of DirecTV, AT&T ( T ) announced today that it will roll out a national Internet-video service by year-end, a national video-streaming service tailored for mobile phone users, and a Web offering targeting millennials. AT&T says the “DirecTV Now,” “DirecTV Mobile” and “DirecTV Preview” products will be available in the fourth quarter. While Verizon Communications ( VZ ) has launched an ad-supported mobile video service, Go90, and Dish Networks ’ ( DISH ) “Sling” streaming service has some 500,000 subscribers, AT&T aims to set itself apart from rivals with a broad range of video offerings. AT&T surpassed Comcast ( CMCSA ) as the biggest pay-TV provider with the DirecTV purchase, which closed in July. AT&T had 25.4 million U.S. video subscribers as of Dec. 31 — 5.6 million fixed-line U-verse customers and 19.8 million satellite TV subscribers. AT&T has negotiated with content companies for digital streaming rights. AT&T says there will be limits on how many people can log onto the services via smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, PCs or other devices. It says consumers will have options to buy premium content for its online, or over-the-top, video services. “Having the largest number of pay-TV subs in the U.S. gives AT&T the scale it needs to compete in the OTT market, enabling it to acquire mobile and out-of-home rights,” said UBS analyst John Hodulik in a research report. “The ability to sell pay-TV subscriptions nationally is one of the keys to AT&T’s segmented mobile-video strategy.” AT&T in January announced a wireless product with unlimited data, but only for new or existing subscribers at DirecTV or its U-verse landline business in 22 states. AT&T did not say in its announcement today how many channels would be included in the new video-streaming products. “These new video subscription models reflect the flexible content choices, viewing options and simple, transparent pricing that consumers want,” John Stankey, CEO of AT&T Entertainment Group, said in the company’s news release. AT&T says its “DirecTV Now” product will be available via fixed-line broadband from any Internet service provider or AT&T’s wireless network, when bundled with a wireless plan. “Bundling OTT video with wireless should provide the stickiness that is missing from stand-alone OTT services,” said Hodulik. DirecTV Now will include on-demand and live programming as well as premium add-on options. The less expensive “DirecTV Mobile” package will be accessible from any wireless service provider. Some short-form content will be tailored for mobile devices. The ad-supported “DirecTV Preview” service will feature content for millennials, including video from Otter Media, a joint venture of AT&T and the Chernin Group. Verizon’s Go90 mobile video service is available as an app for any wireless network. Dish Network’s Sling is included in T-Mobile US ’ ( TMUS ) “Binge On” service, in which video does not count toward monthly data caps. Image provided by Shutterstock .