Comcast Offers Its Alternative to Cable TV, Using the Web - The New York Times

Missing from this article: predictions about what the next-gen Apple TV may mean to the traditional cable oligopoly; also see Comcast Sells Its Own Cord-Cutting Service — Which Requires Comcast’s Cord (Re/code)

"There are limitations, however, that could curb the new service’s appeal to potential subscribers. To start, Comcast’s streaming service will not include any cable networks beyond HBO. That excludes networks like the sports hub ESPN and AMC, home to the zombie-apocalypse hit “The Walking Dead.” The broadcast networks — ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS — along with several other networks, are typically available free via high-definition antennas that cost about $25.

Subscribers to the Comcast app will not be able to stream the service to their television sets, an option for most other rival streaming services. (There is a workaround. Customers could use their account details to unlock access to network apps, like HBO Go, that are available for streaming to television sets.) Also, people who live in areas where Comcast is not the cable provider will not be able to subscribe to the service."

Comcast Offers Its Alternative to Cable TV, Using the Web - The New York Times