Paramount+ is joining the list of streaming services that now offer mobile-only plans in select countries. The service will launch price tiers exclusively available for use on smartphones and mobile devices in both Brazil and Mexico in April.
The price of these plans will vary by country, but both will be cheaper than the Essential plan currently costs in the United States ($4.99 per month). In fact, in Mexico it will be around half the cost; $2.80 USD per month for the newly announced mobile-only plan.
Given that information, it’s likely that American users might be wondering whether or not such a plan will be available in the U.S. any time in the near future. Paramount executives noted that they were choosing Mexico and Brazil to roll out the plan initially because more than 50% of streaming video users in those countries said that they primarily used their mobile devices to watch TV and movies.
American consumers don’t use their phones to stream at quite that level, but it’s not far off. A survey from April 2022 indicated that 31% of U.S. consumers identified subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services like Paramount+ as the video they watched most on their mobile phones when away from home. That’s a slightly different metric than over all streaming, but notable nonetheless.
That’s not the only statistic available to suggest that U.S. consumers would respond well to a mobile-only plan from Paramount+. A survey from January 2023 indicated that 68% of people ranked a streaming service’s app among the top 10 most important apps on their phone, with 60% naming two or more different streaming apps.
That same survey also found that 40% of people who’ve canceled a subscription to a streaming service say that it was because of the cost, with 49% indicating that they’d be more willing to download an app if it was free or discounted.
One of the biggest factors that may keep Paramount+ from offering a mobile-only tier in the U.S. is financial. The median American household income was around $71,000 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Reports differ on the average household income in Mexico, but a report from Global Data shows it was just under $14,000 in 2021. That means American users can afford to pay more for their services, and for a company like Paramount, which is trying to boost its streaming revenues and work past peak losses, there’s little incentive to offer a lower priced-plan if people can afford the current offerings.
In the end, the success of the mobile-only plan in Mexico and Brazil will likely be a significant determining factor as to whether or not the plan will eventually be available in the U.S., but it won’t be the only factor. Domestic customers shouldn’t expect a mobile-exclusive price tier within the next few months, at least not from Paramount+
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and more. The lineup includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.