Former Head of PlayStation Vue Overseeing T-Mobile TVision Streaming Service
There was a collective mourning when PlayStation Vue shut down in January. For former subscribers of the service, there may be some hope that you will get some of parts of Vue back in T-Mobile’s latest TV efforts. That’s because, the former VP & GM of PlayStation Vue, is leading entertainment efforts for T-Mobile.
Dwayne Benefield, who took part in yesterday’s Uncarrier event, to launch TVision VIBE, TVision LIVE, and TVision Channels, is leading strategy, growth and customer engagement for T-Mobile’s entertainment products and services.
While leading PlayStation Vue, Benefield’s helped introduce the unlimited cloud DVR, multiple simultaneous streams, a la carte premium subscriptions, and multi-screen which allow you to watch four shows at once.
When describing the new TVision services during the event he said, “one of the first things you’ll notice is that it looks a lot like things you’re used to, that’s on purpose…it has the familiarity of cable and advanced features of streaming apps.” He walked through the traditional grid guide, which unlike on PS Vue, is horizontal like other Live TV Streaming Services.
The company is offering two plans, TVision Vibe and TVision Live, with the latter available in three pricing tiers.
TVision Live, which starts at $40, is aimed at users who want live news and sports. It features a multitude of channels, from ESPN, NBC, ABC, Fox and more, including local affiliates. They have two additional tiers, TVision Live+ ($50) which adds additional sports networks like NFL Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and NBC Sports RSNs, while TVision Live Zone adds channels like NFL RedZone and MAVTV.
TVision Live includes a 100-Hour DVR and can be streamed on three simultaneous devices.
Curious how the channel line-up stacks up against other services? We’ve pulled together a simple comparison for you.
The second service for entertainment is called the TVision Vibe. This plan features 30 of the most watched entertainment channels available, including AMC, BET, Hallmark, Discovery etc. for $10. The service has many of the same channels as Philo ($20), but is missing those from A&E, History, Lifetime, and select ones from Discovery.
Unlike TVision Live, there is no DVR included, but you can add one for $5 a month. You will be able to use the service on two devices at a time.
The third, which unifies your a la carte streaming services, is called TVision Channels. This plan holds channels Starz, Showtime, Epix in one hub, so users don’t need multiple bills or multiple logins to access their channels. TVision Channels puts them all in one space.
The company also announced the TVision Hub, a new streaming device based on Google’s Android TV. The $50 device comes with advanced features such as voice navigation.
T-Mobile also announced that customers who sign up for TVision Live TV+ or Live Zone packages by Dec. 31 will get Apple TV+ at no additional charge for a year, plus the option to add Apple TV 4K for just $99 — an $80 savings after rebate.