If someone from Dish Network shows up at your house, it's probably because you're getting your satellite TV service hooked up or repaired. Or maybe they're just trying to sell you service. But soon, they might be showing up to your house because you need your cell phone repaired.
Dish Network has struck a deal with Viacom that will result in several new channels being added to the company’s Sling TV offering. The deal is described as a multi-year contract that, in part, renews access to Viacom networks for those with Dish’s regular satellite service. As well, Sling TV will soon offer Nick Jr., Comedy Central, BET, MTV, Spike, and more.
Sling TV, the Internet-based live television service, has introduced a new multi-stream plan that allows subscribers to stream to up to three devices simultaneously. The new plan is very similar to the single-streaming plan, but has a limited set of restrictions on certain channels, such as ESPN and ESPN 2, the kids’ extras like Disney XD and Boomerang, a bunch of Spanish-language channels, and more.
Dish Network has announced that its Hopper 3, currently its most advanced DVR, can now stream Netflix content in 4k Ultra HD resolution. The support starts as of today, and involves the Ultra HD content Netflix has available in its library. This adds Netflix’s content to Dish’s already present library of 4K-resolution shows and movies, which includes content from Mance Media, Sony, and The Orchard.
When TiVo and the other first DVRs hit the scene, people ate them up. Finally, for the first time, you could watch shows and movies when you wanted to. Sure, you could setup a VCR to record something at a specific time, but that was more hassle than it was worth. The other big feature was being able to quickly and easily skip commercials. Unfortunately, skipping commercials is getting harder and harder, as Dish Network is finding out.
Spanish speakers will have a high-definition Spanish streaming option via Sling Latino, the Spanish language version of Dish Network’s Sling TV television service. The big game is coming up this Sunday, and it’ll be available for streaming on both Sling Latino and DISHLatino via ESPON Deportes, the first time the network has streamed the game live in Spanish.
Dish Network’s third-generation Hopper 3 DVR is now available to its subscribers. This DVR brings with it an “enhanced 4K experience,” according to Dish, as well as other notable features like support for up to seven TVs at once and 16 overall tuners. Soon enough, Dish also plans to integrate Netflix’s library of videos into its search results.
This past summer, Dish Network’s Internet streaming service Sling TV introduced its then-new Sling Latino variation, which brought with it 22 channels at the time and an optional package with another 16 channels. Sling Latino has received some new updates recently that take the service further, the most notable of which are the addition of live local broadcasts.
Those with a Chromecast will soon have the option to watch live television through the device, something made possible with Dish Network’s Sling TV service. On Tuesday, Sling TV announced that its mobile app for iOS and Android has gained Chromecast support, making it possible to cast live TV to the Google device. Those without a Sling TV subscription needn’t be disappointed however, as the company is dangling some incentives to get more users on board.
Dish Network has partnered with Common Sense Media to bring its subscribers age appropriateness ratings for content, as well as reviews, helping parents (and others) make informed decisions about what is and isn’t appropriate for their family. The reviews and ratings are already available on the DishAnywhere.com website, and will be available soon on both the Hopper Whole-Home HD DVR and the Dish Anywhere mobile app.
Sling TV was arguably the brightest light in cable-cutters' eyes, at least when it launched earlier this year. The service is an Internet-only online live TV streaming service from Dish Network, and it -- despite some hiccups -- has largely enjoyed success. The service works by breaking content up into packages: there's one core package that costs $20/month, and additional packages priced at $5/month (with a couple exceptions) that aggregates similar channels. The service is everything cable isn't, and now its provoking has earned a reaction.
Earlier this month we talked about the possible merger between T-Mobile and Dish Network. T-Mobile is one of the most disruptive of the four major mobile carriers in the US and it has been trying to get someone to buy it for years. So far, federal regulators have shot down potential suitors. T-Mobile now has a suitor that the regulators presumably would like since the merger would leave four major carriers in the US.
