Comcast announces Stream, a live TV bundle for your iPhone

A previous Comcast service called “Streampix” launched in 2012 but required a cable TV subscription-except in one trial area where it was available to a small number of broadband-only customers. With Stream, Comcast Xfinity internet customers can watch live television from around a dozen networks and thousands of shows on demand on laptops, tablets and phones in their home, but not it seems on a television. Among the channels to be included in Steam are network programming from ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, NBC, PBS, Telemundo, Univision, HBO and local channels where a subscriber lives. They won’t be able to access the service through their TVs, however, or watch any other cable channels aside from HBO, according to The New York Times. If Comcast can whet these people’s appetites, maybe it can up-sell them on its bigger TV packages that include cable channels they can’t watch via Stream. The service launches in Boston this summer, will go to Seattle and Chicago soon, and get rolled out to everybody in 2016.

Users can sign up online, download the Xfinity TV app, and start watching-without the hassle of customer service or technicians’ home visits. So from a cord cutter’s perspective, Comcast is charging $15 per month for a less desirable version of HBO Now.

Comcast will roll out a new $15-per-month streaming TV service aimed at its Internet subscribers who want just a sliver of cable.

Despite its potential shortcomings, Stream shows Comcast gets that people don’t want to always be tethered to their TV. “And make tuning in to a show as simple as opening an email”, said Matthew Strauss, exec vp and general manager, video services for Comcast Cable. For a price of $20 per month, customers can access almost twenty channels (including ESPN and TBS, and CNN) with the option to add themed packages like Movies and Sports for $5 each.

As you probably remember, Apple has been rumored to be creating its own streaming TV service. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and a good old-fashioned antenna offer more choices with greater access and at a much cheaper rate.