Flixed Newsletter 1 - July.29/2019

Flixed Newsletter - Beware of "Limited-Time Offers", Everything Coming to Netflix in August, and MORE!

July 29, 2019

Issue 36: July 29, 2019

Ready to hop on board with a limited time offer? Not so fast! This week, we explore a key issue with limited time offers in cord-cutting, using T-Mobile's new TVision service as a prime example.As always, check further for more details about what to watch on TV or streaming this week, including Amazon's new superhero satire, 'The Boys', and industry and news reports (Netflix hasn't fared too well this week!).Read on to find out more in this week's Stream Report.

.Interested in sharing Stream Report with a friend? Send them here!

Cord-Cutting Tip of the Week:

Beware of "Limited-Time Offers" in Cord-Cutting

We recently came across a new service from T-Mobile called

. Offering over 154 channels for $90 per month, T-Mobile's

announced the service is for the "74% of American households currently paying an average of $107.30 per month for cable or satellite home TV service". But T-Mobile's service and its announcement are couched in "limited time offer" language that highlight why cord-cutters need to be careful of deals that sound too good to be true.

1. Why are "limited time offers" problematic?

On the surface, limited-time offers are great. You get a sweet, discounted deal, you can save money, and you get access to services you may not have considered before. However, most limited time offers from cord-cutting services usually come with some strings attached.

In the case of T-Vision, the advertised $9.99 per month credit is a limited time offer. At some point, that will go away, making TVision's monthly price $99.99 per month, instead of $90 per month. T-Mobile requires a TV box rental, similar to traditional cable, for $10 per month, bringing the price to $109.99 per month, above the average cable bill it Americans are paying that it claims it wants to beat.

Finally, T-Mobile's small print also states there's a 4-20 percent tax applied to the service, depending on location.

That means you could end up paying as much as $131 for a minimum level of TV service with TVision.

Other services have offered limited time offers that come with small print, as well.

, for example, is currently running a heavily discounted deal ($15/month for its care packages), but with a catch: You lose the free trial. DirecTV Now has also offered a heavy discount that comes with the exclusion of a free trial.

2. How to avoid getting snookered by free trials

As attractive as free trials can be, it's easy to get lost in the details. Free trials are intended to sweeten the deal, but keep in mind, the company offering it always intends to make its money back somehow.

When you see free trials for cord-cutting services, make sure to read the fine print. Look for what limitations in the service that free trial comes with, and if available, when that limited-time offer ends. To avoid seeing your bill rise unexpectedly, make sure you re-evaluate whether you like the service before the limited time offer ends.

And as always, make sure you're shopping for the best deal. There are more options on the market than ever before for cord-cutters! Try using your

tool to find which streaming services have the channels you really want.

This Week's Streaming Guide

1. Amazon's New Superhero Original Available NOW

Amazon is diving into the superhero genre with its new action-comedy,

The Boys

. You can binge-watch the first season of this show TODAY on Amazon Prime. -

2. Discovery Channels 'Serengeti' Premieres this SUNDAY

Following in the footsteps of some of the BBC's hit nature shows, Discovery Channel's heavily-advertised nature documentary

Serengeti

premieres this Sunday at 8 PM EST

.

-

News and Industry Developments

1. Everything Coming to (and Leaving) Netflix in August

Netflix has a huge line-up in store for August. Round out your summer vacation with this list of incoming content, even as you mourn what's leaving the service. -

2. Netflix Loses Customers for the First Time in a Decade

Netflix's runaway growth had to stop sometime. In a recent report, Netflix revealed it lost customers in its largest market (United States) for the first time in a decade.

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