SmartStream

In the last 15 months since Comcast launched its Xfinity TV Go app, the cable company has doubled its initial offering of streaming live TV channels. Showtime, AMC, and BBC America are among the recent additions bringing the total number of live streaming channels to 70. Clearly, the streaming cable app is an attempt to keep Comcast customers by allowing them to watch TV programs and movies outside the home and on mobile devices—a service that has been available to Dish Hopper customers for a few years now.

Using a friend’s login, I attempted streaming live TV using the Xfinity TV website and Xfinity TV Go app. While there are dozens of sports channels, including all of the ESPN stations and college sports channels, broadcast network local stations are not included in the live TV listings.

Instead, the prime time network TV shows, as well as premium TV programming and movies, are available on demand. Xfinity TV Go offers 21,000 On Demand titles that stream to the mobile app, which now includes movies and TV shows from Showtime, Starz, Encore, and Movieplex. The number of titles mushrooms to 466,000 when streaming via the Xfinity web site. Many of these titles are available to rent for $5.99. The just-released Birdman, is presently only available for purchase at $15.99 for the HD streaming copy. TV shows and movies can be streamed to up to three devices simultaneously, letting three family member each watch what they want.

TV shows and movies can be downloaded to a smartphone or tablet to watch without a Wi-Fi connection (or when you are out of the country where US TV shows and movies may not be available to stream). Downloads are limited to three devices per household, and to ten downloaded programs to any one device.

Xfinity TV Go is, of course, only available to Comcast subscribers. Subscribers can only watch live channels and on demand content for the channels included in their subscription. A key icon appears next to a station if it isn’t part of your plan with a message that you must upgrade to get access to the show. Purchased movies and TV shows are available to stream from Xfinity even if you cancel Comcast.

Certainly as long as you have Xfinity TV Go, you won't have to worry about Comcast slowing Internet speeds like they did to Netflix.