A Cable TV Alternative That Often Goes Overlooked
To say that US Service members have it tough would be an understatement. Not only do they have to put their lives on the line, thousands of miles away from their loved ones, for years at a time; but they also don’t get access to the wonderful television programming that we enjoy in the United States. To help our service members, and homesick expats, a wonderful streaming service called USTVNow has stepped to the plate.
Like Sling TV, USTVNow offers dozens of streamable live television channels for a low monthly fee. For the first 45 days, you can stream all six of the major broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, and CW) in HD for free. After that, you have to upgrade to a paid plan for HD.
Since soldiers and travelers don’t have a lot of time to sit back and watch TV, USTVNow offers a flexible collection of subscription plans; which are as follows:
- 1 Day Pass: $2.99
- 3 Day Pass: $6.99
- 1 Week Pass: $15.00
- Monthly Pass: $19 for first 3 months, then it rises to $29.99
For an additional $10 a month, you can also subscribe to a DVR-like service that will record your shows.
This flexibility is truly awesome. Maybe you only get a few days a month to relax, well then you just pay the $6.99 and you’re all set. Or maybe you don’t watch a lot of TV but you come down with the flu. Get a day pass for $2.99 and post up in bed until you feel better.
While $29.99 may sound expensive compared to Sling TV’s $20 a month fee, you actually get a bit more than Sling. Currently Sling does not offer broadcast television; for that you need an antenna as well.
Now if you are really looking for the full package, USTVNow offers the Diplomat Premium Plan, starting at $99, which gives you a huge selection of premium channel add-ons.
With this package you get features like:
- 200 Channels
- 6 HBO Channels
- 6 Showtime Channels
- Too many Sports channels to name
- News Channels & Kids Channels
- DVR
Since USTVNow is meant for Americans abroad, Americans at home can’t get access. This is unfortunate for some, but I am more than happy to hear our brothers and sisters abroad have this service at their disposal. To see a full schedule of shows offered click here.
All in all, USTVNow is an excellent service for both services members and civilians abroad. If you’re one of the many U.S. Military Service members or Americans living abroad just looking for a way to catch up on your favorite shows, USTVNow is definitely worth a look.
If you have additional questions don’t hesitate to check out their great FAQ page.
Dave Kennedy is a long time cord cutter who became increasingly frustrated with the high cost of Cable TV and decided to make a stance. In 2011 he launched KilltheCableBill.com, a site dedicated to helping people save money through providing simple, cost-effective cable TV alternatives. Since then, David has helped 1,000s of people cancel their cable subscription while keeping the shows they love.
