YouTube TV’s expansion is just about complete. The streaming live television service has added 95 more markets, giving cord cutters another option coast to coast.
The expansion comes just in time for users to test the service for Super Bowl LIII, when people who have eschewed cable might be looking for a reliable option to watch the Rams and Patriots battle for the NFL championship.
It’s nearing the end of a moderately-paced expansion for the service. Launched in April 2016 in just five markets, YouTube TV now is available in 98% of the country. And it plans to cover the rest in the coming months.
YouTube, at present, has no plans to expand the service to international markets.
Subscribers to the over-the-top service pay $40 per month for access to over 60 networks and Cloud DVR storage with no capacity limits. The chief selling point is the ability to watch TV on any screen – TV, phone, tablet or PCs. Users can create six profiles per subscription.
The battle among streaming services is growing more intense as people explore cable alternatives. YouTube is facing stiff competition from AT&T’s DirecTV Now, Sony’s PlayStation Vue and Dish Network’s Sling TV. With the national expansion, which was slowed by its decision to include broadcast TV-ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox-as part of its offerings, the Google-owned service can now better compete with those.