Philo does not include local channels. As a result, Philo is not going to be a good option for anyone looking to stream ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC or regional sports networks. While that might be disappointing for consumers considering signing up to Philo, the cheap price is likely to be one of the reasons why local channels are not available.
Subscribers to some of the most popular live TV streaming services have recently found accessing locals is becoming increasingly harder. This can be particularly problematic for those wanting to keep up to date on local sports, news and weather. With local channels and regional sports networks disappearing from the main live TV streaming services, there are fewer reasons to continue paying increasingly higher prices.
Priced at just $20 per month, Philo is a cheaper live TV streaming service. For that monthly subscription cost, the service provides access to 63 channels in total, making it a viable option for those looking to access live TV without paying too much. However, unless living in a Locast area, those considering switching to Philo to save money will need to be aware the service won’t solve their local channels problem.
Why Philo doesn’t include local channels
Not only does Philo not include local channels, but it is unlikely to anytime soon. This is probably to be expected, considering the price. One of the reasons other live TV services have stopped offering access to some locals is the inability to agree deals with the channel owners.
While this hasn’t stopped those same services from increasing the price in the meantime, it is likely the cost would be even higher, if local channels and regional sports networks were still included.
With Philo specifically focused on price, it is unlikely the service will look to add local channels in the future. Further support for this can be seen in the channel lineup in general. Although Philo does include access to 63 channels, it is missing some of the most popular channels commonly available with higher-priced services.
If Philo was to add channels that could potentially increase the cost to consumers, it would likely prioritize those popular channels over local channels.
Why you still might want to consider Philo
Although Philo does not provide access to local channels, and is not expected to anytime soon, that’s not to say it’s not worth considering the service. After all, Philo’s low cost makes it a highly attractive option to many.
In the past, some subscribers have not only paid for a different live TV streaming service, but also supplemented that TV subscription with a Philo subscription as well. For those consumers, it has proven to be a good way to fill in any missing channel gaps.
With the other main live TV streaming services continuing to cut local channels, Philo may provide access to enough of the same channels to make a subscription worthwhile. This is especially the case for any consumers finding it harder to justify paying the higher costs of live TV services, like fuboTV, Hulu Live TV, and YouTube TV.
Philo local channels summary
Philo does not offer ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, or regional sports networks, and it is unlikely to anytime soon. As this is a low-cost live TV streaming service, it is focused on offering the best value it can, at the cheapest price. This inevitably means some channels will be unavailable on a service like Philo.
This focus on keeping the cost low is likely the reason why locals are currently not available through Philo, and also likely why they won’t be in the future. As other services continue to cut local channels and regional sports networks, while increasing the price at the same time, some consumers may find Philo offers enough of the channels they want, but at a much lower price.
However, if the current Philo channel lineup is not sufficient enough, and local channels are a major priority, then Philo might not be the right live TV streaming service.
Read more: Sling TV Has Local Channels (But Not in All Cities)
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