Sling TV today announced a price increase for new subscribers, but is looking to lessen the $5-a-month blow by offering more DVR storage by default.
Going forward, the Sling Orange and Sling Blue plans cost $35 a month if you get one or the other, and $50 a month if you get both. That's a $5 increase across the board.
Sling says the price increase is due to the networks charging higher prices for content. Prices for those who subscribed to Sling TV before this latest increase won't see their bills go up before July 2021, the company said. And it doesn't affect the fact that you can still take advantage of the Sling TV free trial, so long as you're a new customer.
"Unfortunately, we are forced to raise prices because the television networks keep charging us more," Michael Schwimmer, group president, Sling TV, said in a press release. "But we fight hard to get the best deal for our customers. The proof of our commitment is apparent, as SLING TV is still the best deal in the market, keeping our prices much lower than cable and other live streaming services. SLING TV customers can rest assured that we'll continue to offer the best combination of live news, sports and entertainment cable channels at the best value."
Some of the Sling TV Extras — the add-on packages that let you build out a full streaming experience — also are seeing price increases. The Sports Extra on either the Orange or Blue plan will go up $1 a month to $11. If you subscribe to both Orange and Blue, the Sports Extra still costs $15 a month.
And the Comedy Extra, Kids Extra, News Extra, Lifestyle Extra, Hollywood Extra and Heartland Extra packages all are going up by $1 a month to land at $6.
The news isn't all bad, though. Sling TV is now giving all of its subscribers 50 hours of free DVR storage, up from the 10 free hours everyone enjoyed previously.
If you still need more DVR storage, you can add 200 hours for another $5 a month with the "DVR Plus" option — up from the previous 50-hour option. Sling TV says all current DVR Plus customers will get the boost.
"A robust DVR feature is a must-have for a premium entertainment experience — customers have told us they want more, and we delivered," Schwimmer said. "By more than quadrupling DVR for all customers at no charge, SLING TV continues to provide the best value for pay-TV in the industry."
