Sling TV Antenna Discounts
SLING TV ANTENNA DISCOUNTS
Last year, Dish Network launched a semi-independent internet video streaming platform. Called Sling TV, the spinoff company attracted heavy coverage in the technical press, and its subscriber base grew rapidly. It hasn’t released any subscription figures since June 2015, when it had about 240.000 subscribers. Industry analysts, though, believe Sling TV has about 500,000 subscribers now. Goldman Sachs, on of the world’s largest investment banks, says this figure will to grow to over 2 million by the end of 2016.
Sling TV differs from conventional cable and satellite subscription TV. The new web streaming platform does not require purchase of proprietary equipment, scheduling of installation, or long term contracts. Customers can try it on a month-to-month basis. Designed for use on mobile devices, it is compatible with almost every major brand of streaming device, computer, tablet, smart phone, or gaming console. Its channel packages are very inexpensive. The core package, called the best of live TV, sells for just $20.00 per month.
In some respects, Sling TV is similar to streaming video services such as Hulu, Netflix,and Amazon Prime Video. The big difference is that Sling TV offers live TV, not just recorded TV shows and movies. The 23 channel Best of Live TV package includes ESPN, AMC, Food Network, A&E, History, El Rey, ABC Family, Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS, Adult Swim, Travel, CNN, Lifetime, Disney, and Bloomberg. Polaris, a Sling TV exclusive, carries video about online gaming, comics,and pop culture.
Sling TV’s one critical shortcoming may have been that it does not carry local TV stations. The company now seeks to overcome this liability by indirectly providing low-cost access to local stations.
On Friday, January 15, Sling TV announced that it will offer discounts on new over-the-air antennae for new customers who pay up front for three months of service. For a limited time, Sling TV will sell antennae manufactured by Terk and RCA for $50.00 below the list prices. The company did not state clearly when the offer will expire, but did say it will sell only one discounted antenna per account.
After the discounts, the Terk Omnitrex antenna (including the mount) will sell for $79.99, and the RCA ANT1750F model will sell for $29.99.
Sling TV also offers a free Roku 2 streaming box for a new subscription with three months prepayment, or a 50% discount on a Roku 3 or Amazon Fire TV box, under the same condition.
With the new discounts, Sling TV may have its market segment all to itself. Apple, Inc. might have become a serious competitive threat, but has encountered repeated unexpected setbacks in the rollout of Apple TV. As we go to press, Apple is unable to predict when its TV platform will be ready for release to consumers.
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