Tablo Blog

OTA + OTT Streaming Makes Sense (and Cents!) for Cordcutters

March 24, 2015

Since the beginning of 2015, we’ve seen a wave of announcements for new television streaming services and TV a-la-carte offerings. There’s been Sling TV, CBS All Access, HBO Now and Playstation Vue. NBC is also rumored to be planning a comedy-focused streaming service and others are saying Apple is planning a service including content from both broadcast and cable channels.

There’s never been more choice for consumers which is great news. However, some news reports have been focusing on how adding these services to get the equivalent of cable isn't really a good bargain... What they're failing to do is factor Over-The-Air (OTA) into the equation. That's where REAL cordcutters know the best value and the most flexibility is found and other journalists agree. 

Why Cable or Stacking Streaming Services Isn’t the Answer
The primary drivers of cordcutting are two-fold: watching the video content you want, when you want, on the device you want and saving money.

Savvy cordcutters are combining free live local content they can get with adigital antenna with a small handful of streaming options to create entertainment packages tailored to their needs. This combination is a winning one for several reasons:

• Only pay for what you watch
  With traditional cable packages, users often had to pay for multiple channels they never watched, just to get content from a channel they did watch. Now you can choose to pay for and stream a specific show on iTunes or Amazon or find a streaming subscription like HBO NOW to get Game of Thrones without having to pay for ESPN.
  
  
• Don’t pay for content that’s available for free
  It’s just plain crazy to pay for something that’s free. All of the major networks like ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX in the US and CBC, CTV, Global and CityTV in Canada broadcast their shows for free in most markets. For the one-time cost of a digital antenna, you can watch 47 of the top 50 shows on TV today which covers the majority of content available from basic cable as well as paid services like Hulu Plus and network streaming apps like CBS All Access.
  
  
• And watch TV anytime, anywhere
  Cable providers and streaming services can be subject to restrictions which can mean watching programming on mobile devices, outside of your geographic region or recording that content for later via DVR is forbidden. With whole-home OTA DVRs, consumers can watch all available content anytime, anywhere in the world and record it to watch on-demand. It’ll even let you skip through commercials, unlike services like Hulu or Dish which block this function.
  
  
• Without maxing out your internet bandwidth
  OTA TV (whether through a DVR like Tablo or watched directly on your TV) doesn’t require any internet bandwidth for viewing inside your home. While many naysayers point to the cost of broadband internet or data caps as a reason against cordcutting, using OTA content as a source of TV programming can save you on internet costs as well.

Cordcutting Savings Are Real
Many of our customers are saving a considerable amount of money by blending OTA TV with streaming services and enjoying the flexibility it offers.

@TabloTV tablo, roku, antenna, upgraded wifi router, netflix, HBO Now soon: Total $23 per month. Saving > $1,000 a year!!

— Mike Kelley (@Oldgnb) March 7, 2015

No thank you! My cost for TV has went from $94 to $55. That's $468/yr. Might buy an @XboxOne WOOT! [$30 internet + $20 @Sling + $5 @TabloTV]

— Markus Lott (@BobsledOhio) March 5, 2015

If you know someone who is a cordcutting naysayer, show them this article and let’s continue to grow the cordcutting revolution.