What the Tech: What is offered on DirecTV Stream?
By JAMIE TUCKER Consumer Technology Reporter
As the TV streaming wars heat up, there’s one service that you may not have considered. DirecTV is now DirecTV Stream. Here’s how it compares to its rivals.
DirecTV has been around for decades but you no longer need a satellite dish to use it. If you want a streaming service that feels most like the cable or satellite TV you were used to, this might be it.
The first thing you notice is channel numbers. They’re still there, and still familiar. ESPN is 206, CNN is 202.
Unlike YouTube TV and Hulu+, it still uses traditional-style tiers and optional genre packs and it took me some time to understand it.
The base plan with over 90 channels costs $90 a month after promotional discounts. The Choice plan adds more channels for $115 a month, and the Ultimate package with just about everything, is $136 a month. They all include local channels.
It’s more expensive than the others but included in the subscription are subscriptions to Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ at no additional cost. But be aware, if you subscribe to the higher tiers, you’ll add a $15 $20 a month fee for regional sports, whether you watch them or not.
All plans include unlimited cloud DVR and unlimited simultaneous streams on the same home network.
There is a catch to the pricing, and it’s a little confusing seeing them listed. If you sign a two-year agreement, your monthly price is locked in and won’t go up. But, canceling early could cost you a fee. Again, just like the old satellite and cable contracts.
While DirecTV Stream brings back the familiar feel of cable, it also keeps a few of its quirks, like added fees and contracts but without the dish.
