
YouTube is finally expanding its internet-based television service to Austin. On August 17, a news release announced the immediate expansion of YouTube TV to 14 new markets, including San Antonio, and the future expansion to 17 markets, including the Capital City.
For $35 a month, with no contract required, subscribers can get nearly 50 channels plus live local feeds from all major broadcasters, including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC affiliates. Other favorites include popular cable networks ESPN, AMC, FX. Local sports networks from NBC Sports and Fox Sports are also included.
Aimed at cord-cutters, the service first launched in April in New York, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Philadelphia, and Chicago. It has already expanded to Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth. The greater Austin area will have the service in the coming weeks.
It competes with such services as Dish’s Sling TV, AT&T’s DirecTV Now, Hulu’s live TV service, and Sony’s PlayStation Vue. Neilsen data reveals that half of YouTube TV's viewership is millennials aged 18-34; half of traditional TV viewers are over age 49.
Other YouTube TV features include:
- Can be watched on any screen — mobile, tablet, or computer — and can be easily streamed to a TV with Google Chromecast or Chromecast built-in TV.
- Works on both Android and iOS. YouTube TV recently enabled AirPlay support so Apple TV owners can stream on the big screen.
- Includes a cloud DVR with no storage limits, so you can stream recordings on any device at any time. It also enables you to record live TV and never run out of storage space, plus record shows simultaneously without using data or space on your phone. Each recording will be stored for nine months.
- Can watch up to three concurrent streams at a time.
- Six accounts allowed per household.