ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has jumped into the free ad-supported streaming business in a major way with the launch of Sling Freestream, a advertising-supported streaming television service (FAST) that provides viewers with 210+ free channels and 41,000+ on-demand titles.
Unveiled on Sling’s eighth birthday and National Cut the Cord Day, Freestream is available through the Sling app on all Roku devices, and is rolling out across LG, Samsung and Vizio devices. Freestream will roll out across all Sling-compatible devices throughout the coming months.
While the service marks a major strategic shift towards FAST services, the launch is also notable because the Sling Freestream platform pioneers flexibility between paid and FAST TV by allowing viewers to upgrade to paid services, including Sling’s pay TV packages and 50 standalone subscription channels, easily from Sling Freestream.
Sling is billing the service as the first to enable “One-Click” upgrades to premium pay TV within a FAST service.
“Sling Freestream is a great new service that helps meet consumers’ evolving needs,” said Gary Schanman, group president, Sling TV. “We know some people want free content, some may want a year-round paid subscription, while others may want to subscribe for certain events or shows. We have coupled world-class content with the option to easily flex in and out of premium pay TV, creating a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience.”
Sling Freestream delivers more than 210 channels and 41,000 on-demand titles - for free. In addition Freestream uniquely offers industry-leading international programming in nine languages, such as AajTak International, DesiPlay, Noticias Univision 24/7, ARY News, France24, beIN SPORTS XTRA, SonyKal, TVP World, Al Jazeera English and Al Arabiya.
Sling reported that Sling Freestream will grow its free content catalog over the next few months and continue to enhance the user experience. Future Sling Freestream features include universal search functionality, enhanced channel surfing, updated guide filters and autoplay capabilities.
“On top of the popular content and a seamless user experience, Sling Freestream provides a premium advertising experience that benefits viewers and advertisers alike,” Schanman added. “Sling Freestream gives our advertisers expanded reach across a wider range of streaming customers, allowing for greater reach and engagement with their target audiences.”
More information is available here.
