Recently, there has been a surge in cord cutting and streaming, driven by the need for cheaper options to watch TV. As inflation increases, cable TV companies are looking for ways to reduce costs as well. To address these challenges, Sparklight Cable (also known as Cable One) has decided to shut down its traditional cable TV service and move to a streaming-only service called Sparklight TV. This new service requires a device such as an Apple TV or Fire Stick to function, but it does not currently support Roku.
Sparklight plans to transition all of its markets to Spasrklight TV on a market-by-market basis, and it will no longer offer traditional linear cable TV service that requires a cable box. Existing Cable TV customers will be contacted directly when Sparklight TV service is available for their home. As of Q2 2022, Sparklight had approximately 1.1 million residential and business customers across 24 states, and the company stopped selling new traditional cable TV subscriptions in 2021.
One downside of Sparklight TV compared to other streaming services like YouTube TV is that it only works within your home network. Therefore, you cannot use it while traveling. Instead, you must use a separate app called Sparklight’s TV Everywhere to access content outside of your home. However, this move to a streaming-only service will allow Sparklight to devote its entire network to internet service, which should increase internet speeds as Sparklight can now allocate 100% of its network to the internet instead of sharing it with TV.
The question now is not if but when other cable TV companies will follow Sparklight’s example and move away from traditional cable TV. Many cable TV companies are likely to consider following Sparklight’s example and transitioning to streaming-only services. This move may allow them to reduce costs while providing customers with more flexibility and a wider range of options.
The trend towards cord cutting and streaming is likely to continue, especially as more people look for ways to reduce their monthly bills. Streaming services offer a more affordable and flexible alternative to traditional cable TV. This is also due to the increasing popularity of streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, which provide access to a vast selection of TV shows and movies for a fraction of the cost of traditional cable TV.
In conclusion, Sparklight Cable’s decision to shut down its traditional cable TV service and move to a streaming-only service may be a sign of things to come in the industry. As more customers switch to streaming services, it may become increasingly difficult for cable TV companies to justify the high costs of traditional cable TV. Therefore, it’s only a matter of time before other cable TV providers begin to follow in Sparklight’s footsteps and embrace the streaming revolution.
You can learn more about this transition from Sparklights website: Sparklight Cable Customers Transitioning to Sparklight TV
