Time Warner Cable has added its name to the ranks of cable operators looking to offer affordable video packages, unveiling a new Starter TV package that includes 20 channels of video and premium network Home Box Office for about $29.99 per month for the first 12 months.
The Starter TV with HBO package includes broadcast networks NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, PBS and the CW; shopping channels like HSN, ShopHQ and QVC; Spanish language channels Galavision, Telemundo and Univision; and three C-SPAN channels. According to TWC’s website, the Starter TV package with HBO does not include equipment, which can add between $2.50 per month for a CableCARD to $30.24 per month for whole-home HD digital video recorder and service.
The new TWC package comes more than a month after Comcast unveiled its Internet Plus package, an offering that includes high-speed data service, local broadcast channels and HBO for between $39.99 and $49.99 per month, depending on the market. Cox Communications also has a lower cost tier – called TV Economy– that includes about 180 channels for $24.99 per month for the first three months (rising to $34.99 after that). HBO and other premium channels can be added to the package for an additional charge.
