The traditional pay-TV market may be on the brink of transition as major operators begin to introduce alternative services that don't require a set-top box. In just the last year, AT&T announced three virtual tiers of its DirecTV service, Time Warner has begun testing an IP-only bundle in New York, Verizon has launched Go90 and Comcast has started testing its Xfinity Stream in some markets.
These simple, app-based video platforms enable TV providers to deliver their wares without incurring the costs of CPE, truck rolls and credit checks. And while none of these new alternatives has dramatically transformed the pay-TV landscape, some are gaining traction and may threaten legacy providers. With users increasingly demanding on-the-go, web-based video across a variety of devices, the traditional TV market may look very different in a few years than it does today. Article