T-Mobile TVision Live Adds 30+ ViacomCBS, Discovery, & Hallmark Channels After Complaints From Media Partners
Earlier this month, we reported that Discovery, ViacomCBS, and NBCU have all filed complaints to T-Mobile over the packaging of their content in their TVision service.
Our sources say that Discovery and ViacomCBS felt they should be in TVision Live ($40) in addition to TVision VIBE ($10), while NBCU believes their local affiliates should be included in TVision Vibe in addition to TVision Live.
As what they are calling a limited time offer, customers who sign-up for TVision Live ($40+) will get the 33 channels in the TVision VIBE service included at no extra cost.
TVision VIBE features 30+ of the most watched entertainment channels including those from ViacomCBS (MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, etc) and Discovery (HGTV, Food Network, etc.), as well as Hallmark and AMC — for normally $10 a month.
While this is being billed as a limited time offer, sources familiar to the agreement says this change will be permanent for most of the channels that have been added. It appears that both Discovery and ViacomCBS, feel the new packaging is consistent with what they originally agreed to.
TVision VIBE has many of the same channels as Philo ($20), but is missing those from A&E, History, Lifetime, and select ones from Discovery.
During their Q3 earnings call, Discovery CEO David Zaslav alluded to the fact that T-Mobile bundled their channels in a way that’s not in alignment with the distribution deal they have in place. “We were very surprised with how T-Mobile decided they were going to bundle our networks, particularly because we have a clear agreement where our networks are required to be carried on all their basic tiers or OTT offerings,” he stated.
On T-Mobile’s Q3 Live Stream, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert said that they are “complying with all their media contracts.” He says they intend to be “a great partner to media companies and an ally, because we’re not a media company, we’re a pure play networks and connection company, and that obviously has a big future for us as this world moves towards an OTT future.”
TVision was officially announced on Oct. 27. The service comes with two plans: TVision VIBE and TVision Live.
TVision Live, which starts at $40, is aimed at users who want live news and sports. It features a multitude of channels like ESPN, NBCSN, FS1, Bravo, and USA, as well as local affiliates from NBC, ABC, and Fox. 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.