So, I've spent the last few days researching and trying out all of the different streaming options to replace my current U-Verse service (headed to $225/month). It's a great service, but it's anywhere from $80-120 more per month tham other streaming options. Functionality-wise, the U-Verse offering provides the most content, especially key state of Texas sports content (Spurs, Mavs, Rangers, Astros), but it's just gotten too expensive. It also has movie channels and some other desirable stuff.
I reviewed Hulu + Live, Fubo, DirecTv, Spectrum (a bit), Sling, and cobbling together OTA with ESPN Unlimited, Fox One and HBOMax. The results were disappointing.
1. Fubo - the Elite sports service wasn't bad. The UI is decent, but they flat out lied during the sign-up process of the cost. It's actually $128/month, not $113/month, after the free trial and first month $30 discount. They don't have a lot of non-sports content, but the sports content was excellent. I was just so pissed off about the blatant lying about the price, I cancelled during the trial phase.
2. DirecTv - jesus these people are idiots. There are two different streaming options, the website is a mess, you can't figure out which streaming offer is which, you can't get the final price of what it actually costs. I roughly estimated it at $135, but who knows. For one of the streaming options, there are contracts and they treat you like shit, just like a traditional cable company. Screw that.
3. YouTube TV - pretty nice experience. The UI has a few limitations, but is manageable. However, I have to say goodbye to Astros coverage. This is probably where we are headed. $82/month. For Spurs and Rangers I'd have to add other streaming services (Fanduel, Victory+).
4. Spectrum - people in my neighborhood are constantly complaining about outages. I didn't look at them closely. I want to keep AT&T internet because I have free HBO right now.
5. Sling - too limited. Can't get much of anything we want.
6. OTA, ESPN Unlimited, Fox One, HBO Max - this has some potential, but I'm not ready for the UI hell this would cause, the wiring issues for OTA, and the lack of certain commercial channels.
So, to summarize, the option is to either pay $225 and get Astros, Rangers, Mavs, Spurs, and Movies, or switch to YTTV and lose all that but only pay $82+tax. If I didn't go with YTTV, I might go back to Fubo.