Last year Spectrum started to make streaming its default TV offering for new customers through its Xumo streaming player. Now Altice USA, the fourth-largest cable TV provider in the United States is doing the same with its Optimum Stream service.
Optimum Stream had already been available in a handful of markets, but now CEO Dennis Mathew said at the Morgan Stanley Technology Media and Telecom Conference it will be coming to all markets Optimum Cable TV is available in.
So why are cable TV companies moving to join streaming? In short, it really comes down to cutting costs.
Cable TV companies can use streaming services to push self-install options. Customers can set up service themselves by downloading an app—or for Optimum customers using its custom Android TV box—so they don’t need an expensive technician to come out.
The other big way that this saves cable TV companies is by letting them move away from legacy cable TV costs of maintaining the older systems. Now they can use their network to focus exclusively on Internet service.
A growing number of cable TV companies are offering both streaming and traditional cable TV or completely shutting down their traditional TV service. As cord cutting continues to grow, this trend will continue into the rest of 2024 and beyond.
Please follow us on Facebook and X for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help.
Update: We updated this story to use Optimum more as it is the name the cable TV service that it now operates as.