DirecTV, a leading TV provider in the country, is set to launch a new TV service that does not require any subscription or payment.

MyFree DirecTV is expected to go live on November 15. This free streaming service will offer a range of ad-supported live TV channels along with a vast On-Demand library filled with series, shows, and movies—all available for free with commercial interruptions. More channels are anticipated to be added throughout 2025.

The service will be accessible on the web, mobile devices, and is likely to be available on streaming platforms like Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, and specific smart TVs such as Google TV.

With this new offering, DirecTV aims to fulfill the market demand for quality free content, providing a personalized and curated viewing experience to set it apart, according to Vikash Sharma, DirecTV’s product head, who spoke with YSL News.

What is FAST TV?

MyFree DirecTV is joining the trend of free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels, which includes services like Freevee, Pluto TV, the Roku Channel, and Tubi.

Initially, many users turned to streaming platforms to escape commercials and to avoid lengthy contracts with cable or satellite TV. However, as subscription services became more numerous, there has been a rising interest in free streaming options.

Long-standing free services, such as Pluto TV and Tubi launched around a decade ago, along with the Roku Channel, which started in 2017, have established a solid audience. Collectively, these three services accounted for 3.7% of total TV usage as of February 2024, according to Nielsen.

What content will MyFree DirecTV offer?

While DirecTV has not disclosed the entirety of its content lineup for the upcoming service, it has indicated that in addition to FAST channels, content providers from its paid services—like A&E, Disney, Fox, and others—may also offer free live broadcasts and on-demand programming.

On the MyFree DirecTV website, where users can sign up for email updates, previews of popular TV shows like “American Pickers,” “Pawn Stars,” “Power,” “Storage Wars,” and “The UnXplained with William Shatner” have been showcased.

“We are committed to providing some of the highest quality FAST channels available,” Sharma stated.

Will MyFree DirecTV include commercials?

Yes, viewers will encounter a similar amount of commercials as they would while watching any live TV broadcast, according to Amy Leifer, head of advertising sales at DirecTV Advertising, who shared insights with YSL News.

FAST TV offers advantages for both viewers and advertisers while paving the way for a more promising future in television, she explained. “Almost half of the U.S. population is actively seeking and utilizing FAST live TV content,” Leifer noted. The announcement for the new service will be made on Thursday during the Advertising Week New York event, with details also available on the DirecTV website.

By developing its free streaming service, DirecTV is providing advertisers a chance to engage with a new audience, Leifer mentioned. Additionally, the launch of MyFree DirecTV allows the DirecTV brand to connect with a different demographic than its current base of approximately 11 million subscribers.

Advertisers are expected to invest more in positioning their ads on FAST platforms, with global FAST revenue projected to reach $17 billion by 2029—up from $8 billion in 2023, as per Digital TV Research Ltd.

MyFree DirecTV operates on the same technology as the current DirecTV app, ensuring user-friendliness. Viewers using the free service will be able to seamlessly upgrade to premium offerings within MyFree DirecTV, Sharma indicated.

Ultimately, MyFree DirecTV could enhance DirecTV’s ecosystem, with plans to provide “smaller, more customized packages” at lower prices compared to the standard comprehensive 100+ live TV subscriptions—an objective established during the recent contract negotiations with the Walt Disney Company, which oversees ESPN and other channels.

DirecTV is also seeking to acquire its satellite counterpart, Dish Network, which currently has over 6 million subscribers, according to Leichtman Research Group.

In the future, users of MyFree DirecTV may find options to subscribe to smaller entertainment-focused packages, along with other streamlined choices beyond just one expansive programming bundle. “That is very much the roadmap we envision,” Sharma said.

(This article was revised to include updated information.)