Could this latest move by Time Warner Cable mean the beginning of the end for big, power hungry cable boxes? Time Warner Cable is starting up its Roku TV beta service today, which allows Internet-only patrons to stream live television via a Roku 3 player.
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Thanks to TWC Internet customers will now be able to access the TWC TV app on several devices and not require a cable box to do so.
“The TWC TV Roku Trial represents an important step in our evolution, giving customers more ways to view the content they love in ways that work for them”, Peter Stern, Time Warner Cable executive vice president, said in a statement.
TWC clarifies that this program is not a new streaming service, but rather the same television that subscribers are used, just deliver through a TWC TV app running on a Roku. This plan will have 20 plus channels including CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and TBS. you can also get a few more popular channels like ESPN and Disney if you are ready to pay $50 per month.
The other two service tier plans are Starter TV with Showtime and Starz which costs $19.99 per month for a year, and the Standard TV with Showtime and Starz which will set consumers back by $49.99 per month for a year and will give access to over 70 channels. The company announced a new initiative that will have its customers in NY City and New Jersey use a Roku box instead of the normal cable box.
While Time Warner Cable is allowing customers to dump their clunky cable boxes and the monthly leasing fees by moving to a faster and more efficient Roku interface, there is one big that you will be leaving behind if you enter the trial – DVR support.
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During this trial, users will get free Roku 3 player with the cheapest plan that starts at $10 per month for a 12 month period.
