In recent years, with the rapid rise of IPTV services, more people are straying away from traditional cable TV services. It has become common for people to dread that monthly bill even if they have enjoyed their fair share of TV over the previous month.
Luckily, as the internet becomes more prevalent and more businesses are forming by the day, there are a wide variety of alternatives to the traditional way of television viewing.
Continue reading to find out more about the expanding world of online TV viewership and the ways in which IPTV has helped UK citizens move past the old-fashioned way of content consumption.
What Is Cable TV?
Cable TV is simply what we know as the traditional way of viewing television by means of fibre optic cables or radio frequency. This has been used for many years across the world and has provided a baseline for how users can view TV for generations now.
Since cable TV was developed, however, there have been various different forms of television that have become much more popular since the creation of the internet. These services come in the form of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and streaming services.
The Best Alternatives
There are plenty of different types of IPTV and streaming services, all offering different kinds of viewing and catering to multiple different audiences. Streaming services are now the leading provider of any kind of regular television which seems to spell the end for traditional cable TV.
The key difference to pick between these two is that providers of IPTV services allow you to install the streaming services in question onto a device at a lower cost. While IPTV is not a direct link to television services, it is a simple and easy way for you to install the best streaming services on the market.
Hulu
Hulu is one of the largest streaming platforms in the UK with its vast array of live TV channels and Hulu originals such as The Handmaid’s Tale, PEN15 and Nine Perfect Strangers that you can watch at any time.
While having access to on-demand content, you are also able to access all of the channels that your cable payments would cover. You will be able to have up to six profiles at any given time which further increases your versatility along with parental controls to protect your children from any adult content.
When signing up for a Hulu subscription, you will be given the choice of 4 different price points offering various different things that may entice you.
The basic subscription is $7 per month which gives you access to their on-demand content, next is a $13 per month subscription which removes all ads while you are watching, then for a $14 per month subscription you will be able to have Hulu, Disney Plus and ESPN+.
Finally, there is a huge subscription cost which will grant you access to all of the above as well as 65+ live TV channels for $70 per month. If you are a student, you will also have access to a unique subscription that grants you Hulu’s services for just $1.99 per month!
Netflix
Netflix is quite possibly the most well-known streaming service in the world and this is for good reason. Netflix has, for many years, been providing its users with high-quality streaming for a plethora of TV shows and movies in its extensive library.
Netflix has been one o the largest reasons behind streaming platforms creating their own shows and content. With 44 Emmy awards across their vast number of shows such as The Crown, Squid Game and The Queen’s Gambit in recent years, they are one of the greatest on the market.
Much like Hulu, Netflix also offers multiple levels of subscription beginning with their $9.99 basic subscription package which will simply give you access to all of the shows and movies in your region.
Next is the $15.49 standard subscription which will allow you to stream your favourite movies and shows in HD resolution as well as the ability to stream two things at once. The premium plan is priced at $19.99 and includes Ultra HD streaming and up to four separate streams all at once.
Alongside a Virtual Private Network provider, Netflix will also allow you to view certain region-locked content by making your IP address appear in another location. For example, if you are living in Britain, a VPN such as SurfShark would be able to grant you access to the Japanese version of Netflix.
Disney Plus
Disney Plus is the chosen streaming service for both Disney Enthusiasts and families with young children as it is the only place where you can watch some of the most popular movies from Disney and Pixar since their creation.
With Disney also overseeing Marvel, Lucasfilm and National Geographic, avid fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Star Wars franchise and naturist documentaries will be able to view all of their favourite movies, shows and documentaries all in one place.
With more recent additions, you are also able to watch some of the most popular animated shows in the world such as the Simpsons, Futurama and Family Guy providing the whole family with something to watch.
Disney Plus will also allow you to install any episode of a show or any movie for you to watch when you are on the go. You are granted unlimited downloads on as many as 10 devices and will allow four people to watch simultaneously.
Apple TV+
Starting at $5 per month, Apple TV+ is a relative newcomer in the world of streaming services but has made rapid progress in acquiring an audience of millions of people.
With this service being relatively new, there is not as extensive of a library as that of Netflix or Disney Plus however there are some stellar originals that they have to offer to sway your opinion toward their service.
Hit shows such as Ted Lasso and Schmigadoon have been imperative in allowing Apple TV+ to gain a foothold in the streaming service market.
The payment ladder for Apple TV+ simply gives you access to more of Apple’s exclusive services such as Apple Music and iCloud+ among others as well as a seamless integration into Apple devices like the iPad.
