Cable bills that are too high in almost every city have prompted an onslaught of very viable alternatives and one of the newest of these is Philo TV.
According to their market research, 1.2. million people left cable TV in favor of streaming — and that was just in the last quarter of 2018.
I remember phone cards and high long-distance bills. I remember high cell phone bills with limited minutes. Thank goodness for options and envelope pushers! Streaming services are poised to have the same effect on cable.
So, when I was approached by a publicist friend to give it a shot, I said, “Why not?” It’s perfect timing as I try to figure out how exactly to get a grip on this cable situation. I’m down for some experimentation.
Let me share some details.
Fledgling Philo TV streaming service is quickly growing, having quadrupled its base since launch in 2017. It is now offering access to 58 channels and counting for $20 per month, including fan faves like BET, Lifetime, Discovery, Hallmark (all those Christmas movies!), A&E and OWN (hello “Greenleaf!”).
It’s a pretty competitive deal and most importantly, straightforward. There are no levels to service like with some other services. Subscribers can stream programs across all platforms – computers, Apple and Android phones, iPads, smart TVs – and services like Roku, FireTV and Apple TV.
And not to worry, there’s capacity to stream on up to three devices at the same time so the kids aren’t forced to watch “Queen Sugar” and you aren’t forced to watch “Teen Titans Go!” You will also have access to a cloud-based 30-day DVR and a deep, on-demand library at no additional cost.
Recently, I spoke with Philo TV’s Nii Mantse Addy, chief marketing officer.
“We really think we sort of struck gold with the idea here, and it clearly is a business that makes sense,” he said. “Our goal right now is to continue to push the envelope to make sure that we’re getting in front of all of the people that Philo would be of benefit to.”
Addy left cable behemoth Comcast to join the Philo team. He wanted to be a part of changing the game, with a company where streaming is the centerpiece of the business model.
“I was drawn to how Philo was disrupting the TV industry. So, I looked to transition to a place where there is an opportunity to innovate, impact and be a part of something from the ground up that has great built-in relationships with excellent TV networks,” he said.
“We’re really able to do some new and different things like like allowing people to start trials and start watching TV without a credit card.”
So, who wants to watch some TV with me?
Test it out and let us know what you think. To get your week-free trial, go to https://try.philo.com/.
Merry Christmas!
And you’re welcome for the “access!” (Ha ha)
