Sling rolls out feature to let one account share its TV subscription with 3 devices — for an extra $20/month. Click image to view PDF on differences.
Sling TV added one of the most requested features for its online TV service: Sharing. Technically, the new service gives subscribers the ability for one account to stream shows to three devices.
But the Douglas County-based service said that adding the multi-streams feature comes at a higher price — an extra $20 a month.
The new subscription, which can be ordered independently of its , does offer exclusive channels including Nat Geo, truTV, UniMas, Univision and some Fox channels like FX and the local content in some areas.
But ESPN, one of the biggest draws of Sling, is not included. Neither is The Disney Channel. (See other channel differences between the plans .)
Existing Sling subscribers, who currently pay $20 a month for around 25 channels, also must pay an extra $20 a month to access the new channels and multi-stream feature. Customers can also switch to a multi-stream subscription if funds are limited.
Fox shows up on Sling TV as an on-demand channel
This makes the service a bit more complex than Sling’s simple start last year when it offered 20 channels for $20 a month. As the year progressed, the company added more channels, some that were only part of add-on tiers for additional fees. It also faced more competition. Earlier this year, Sony’s Playstation VUE online TV service and dropped the price of about 50 channels to $30 a month.
In a statement, Sling CEO Roger Lynch said that this is a beta test and hinted that things could change as the company gets feedback from customers.
“We look forward to incorporating our customers’ feedback throughout the beta phase as we evolve the multi-stream service to include additional channels, features and functionality,” Lynch said.
New customers can also try the multi-stream service for seven days for free.
Glenn Hower, a research analyst that tracks online TV services for Parks Associates, said this is still a new niche and companies are figuring things out.
“This all points to the fact that the over-the-top video experience is still incredibly disaggregated,” Hower said. “Consumers still have to do a good bit of cobbling together their own package, the price of which can add up quickly.”
By adding local broadcast channels like Fox, Sling is looking more like a traditional pay-TV provider’s lineup.
“It’s great that the plan includes Fox and many of the Fox Sports channels, including regional networks. The regional sports networks have been the major holdouts on streaming television, mainly looking to protect their territories,” he said.
But without ESPN and Disney joining the new plan, he said, “There will likely have to be another intense round of negotiations with Disney/ESPN if Sling is going to include those networks on its new offering.”
