DIRECTV and Greenlight Networks, a broadband provider serving two dozen communities in New York, have partnered to bundle fiber internet with streaming video in a rare deal that highlights the changing dynamics of the pay-TV industry.
The partnership, announced earlier this month, gives Greenlight customers access to a package that includes DIRECTV via internet or DIRECTV Stream through a smart TV or streaming device like a Roku stick or Apple TV.
The deal is a rare partnership for DIRECTV and spells out how the lines between traditional pay-TV and streaming have blurred. Spectrum is pushing the Xumo streaming box as its primary video device, and hammered out a deal to offer its customers Disney+ and the future ESPN streaming service to its subscribers. Once sacred pay-TV elements like DIRECTV’s Sunday Ticket of NFL games are being streamed by YouTube TV and Amazon’s Prime Video. These partnerships between ISPs and streaming services are becoming more common. Frontier and WOW!, for example, have both started to promote YouTube TV.
For DIRECTV, hitching itself to a local broadband provider is a way to potentially reach more audiences while breaking out of its usual satellite TV mold.
“We’re truly excited about our partnership with DIRECTV. This collaboration is a solution to the industry’s growing demand for high-quality TV streaming services coupled with reliable connectivity,” said Mark Murphy, Greenlight CEO. “Each day, more customers are considering ‘cutting the cord,’ but they also want to be sure they can access news, sports, and premium programming. With our DirectTV packages, we can offer that while also delivering the best entertainment experience over fiber.”
Greenlight has not offered TV services in the past, so this new bundle allows it to provide more options to its subscribers. New and existing Greenlight customers can add DIRECTV to their internet packages, but the pricing is no different from what you would get by going directly to DIRECTV.
“This exciting partnership is a game-changer for home entertainment, offering customers the programming they want with the reliability they deserve,” adds Murphy.
Greenlight offers fiber internet with speeds up to 5 Gigabits per second. Customers can get a Gemini device or use the DIRECTV STREAM app on their favorite streaming player.
With these deals becoming more common, you could see more streaming options coming from ISPs down the line.