Frndly TV does not offer access to local channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, and The CW affiliates, and that might not change anytime soon. However, Frndly TV does offer access to Local Now and some homes may find that to be enough of a solution for their local TV needs.
Arguably, the main benefit of Frndly TV is the price. With plans starting at just $7.99 a month, Frndly TV is considerably cheaper than most other live TV services and packages. The problem with Frndly TV is that the low price does directly impact the channel selection. For example, Frndly TV is not only missing local channels, but also popular news and live sports channels as well.
For those primarily interested in a live TV package that includes local channels, Streaming Better recommends considering an alternative live TV service. While other services will likely cost more than Frndly TV each month, homes may find that the channel lineup is better suited to their needs.
Frndly TV includes Local Now
A Frndly TV subscription does include access to Local Now. While Local Now isn’t a typical local channel, it does provide access to local news, entertainment, traffic, weather, and more. Local Now makes use of a device’s IP address to determine the location of the viewer and provide programming based on that designated location.
Whether Local Now is enough of a solution for a home will depend on their individual local needs. For example, Local Now won’t be a solution for anyone looking to watch live local sports. In addition, Local Now only covers 220 cities in the United States so some homes may find that their city isn’t currently covered. Considering this isn’t a finite list, it is possible that additional cities will be added in the future.
As Local Now is a free channel in general, there is no need to sign up for Frndly TV to get access to the channel. Instead, Local Now can be accessed through the website or on a number of platforms and devices by downloading the app. This also means that it is possible to check Local Now out and confirm whether it is a good enough local streaming solution before signing up to Frndly TV.
If it is, then Streaming Better would still recommend using the Local now app in addition to the Frndly TV app, as the Local Now app also unlocks access to a variety of additional free channels, including news stations from ABC, CBS, NBC and more. This is in addition to thousands of on-demand movies and shows that are also available to watch for free.
Accessing local channels over the air
For those that would still rather sign up to Frndly TV to take advantage of the low price and selection of entertainment channels, accessing the over-the-air version of a local channel is an option. While Frndly TV won’t help in this respect, many homes may find they can access some or all of their preferred local stations with the help of an antenna.
Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed outcomes when using an antenna, as various factors, including the location of the user and the strength of the antenna, play a role in determining which homes can access which local stations over the air.
Basically, the only way to determine how well an antenna will compensate for Frndly TV’s lack of local channels is to manually try an antenna and see what you get.
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