Does DIRECTV streaming have local channels?

DirecTV is among the biggest satellite television services provider in the United States, offering services to millions of customers. In recent years, DirecTV has been rapidly adding streaming services, which allows its customers to watch live television and video on demand without a satellite dish. A typical question that people ask is if DirecTV’s streaming platforms include local broadcast channels such as ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. The answer is somewhat complicated.

DirecTV offers two main streaming services: DirecTV Stream and DirecTV Stream Choice. The channel line-ups and the inclusion of local broadcast stations vary with these offerings.

DirecTV Stream DirecTV Stream was formerly known as AT&T TV and it is DirecTV’s most comprehensive streaming TV offering. It offers a channel package and experience that has been designed to emulate typical satellite DirecTV package. DirecTV Stream is known to provide its clients with the chance of getting up to 140+ channels as per the chosen package. Most importantly, this entails supporting local channels.

DirecTV Stream requires you to input your zip code when you subscribe, which in return, identifies the local broadcast stations that can be received via satellite in your location. It then provides you with live streaming of these local channels – these usually consist of ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and others. This enables you to stream local news, sports, the shows aired during the prime time and many others through DirecTV Stream. It operates more like a local cable television service.

This means that the total number of local channels you can get through DirecTV Stream depends on where you live. Local channels are available for streaming on DirecTV depending on whether one resides in or close to a major city. However, those living in rural areas or areas with little to no satellite coverage for their region may find that the local channel streaming options are few or non-existent.

Therefore, to answer the question in a nutshell, yes, DirecTV Stream does offer subscribers live local stations with ABC/CBS/NBC/Fox and other networks. But it depends on the availability of the channels, which are dependent on the satellite coverage of local stations in your region.

DirecTV Stream Choice DirecTV Stream Choice is a relatively new, cheaper service compared to the DirecTV Stream service offered by the same company. Offering packages starting at $69. 99 per month, Stream Choice aims at bringing popular sporting and entertainment channels to streaming.

But, there is one significant drawback to DirecTV Stream Choice; no local channels are available on this plan. Here is the catch: when you punch in your zip code signing up for Stream Choice, you are not going to get the local ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox or any other local stations.

In its place, Stream Choice consists solely of national cable stations. This makes it possible for DirecTV to contain the cost but it undermines the ability of the subscribers to access local news, events and other primetime shows through the service.

If you wish to have local channel access in the DirecTV Stream Choice, then you have to use the HD digital antenna to tune into the available stations in your area. You can always get the local channels through the antenna by which they will be able to watch for free while at the same time streaming the national cable programs through DirecTV. Well this of course necessitates extra equipment and takes away from the ease of being able to watch local programming through the streaming platform.

Ultimately, while standard DirecTV Stream grants local channel streaming in accordance with your satellite service and local market, it does so adequately. But get this – another cheaper streaming option, DirecTV Stream Choice has no local channel access at all – so, this option can be completely ruled out if local stations are on your must-watch list. Thus, when comparing DirecTV streaming options, do not forget about the availability of channel lineups and local channels.