Local Channels on DIRECTV STREAM: What You Need to Know

DIRECTV STREAM is a live TV streaming service used by cord-cutters that carries local broadcast channels such as NBC along with popular regional sports networks.

Local PBS and PBS Kids are included in all channel packages. There are popular sub-channels as well such as Bounce TV, Cozi TV, Heroes & Icons, Get TV, GRIT, ionTV, and Oxygen True Crime Network.

In this guide, I will show you an online tool that DIRECTV STREAM provides so that you can find out what kind of local broadcast and sports channels are available in your area. Your lineup of local channels and local regional sports networks depend on where you live, and whether you are using DIRECTV STREAM or DIRECTV. 

What is DIRECTV STREAM?

DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) is a part of DIRECTV, which has operated a digital satellite service since 1994. 

To be clear, DIRECTV STREAM doesn’t rely on satellite service. It streams cable and broadcast TV networks live over the internet. 

DIRECTV STREAM has apps that work on Samsung Smart TVs, and Smart TVs running on Android TV or Google TV. You can use your own streaming device such as a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast with Google TV or Apple TV.

iPhones and iPads (running current iOS) and Android phones and tablets support the DIRECTV app. 

You can get a streaming device from DIRECTV called Gemini. But it comes at a cost. There is a $15 per month “advanced receiver fee” so you are better off using your own streaming device.

When it comes to watching local channels, there are some differences between DIRECTV STREAM and DIRECTV. 

Does DIRECTV STREAM have local channels in my area?

Yes. But it’s a good idea to check exactly what is available. There is an easy way to look up your local channel lineup on the DIRECTV website. 

1. Go to the DIRECTV local channel lineup lookup tool, and type in your zip code.
2. Click the search tab. 
3. Look through the read out by scrolling down through the whole page.

The listing has every local ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX station, independently-owned TV stations and regional sports channels. The listing includes a local network’s call sign, or affiliate name. 

You will notice that the four major broadcasters ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX along with PBS are available on DIRECTV STREAM and DIRECTV. 

Regional sports networks are likewise available on DIRECTV STREAM and DIRECTV. In my case, that’s NBC Sports Boston, NESN and NESN+.

I can see that some local channels are only available “Exclusively on the Internet” or “Exclusively on Satellite.” 

For example, where I live, I can get the local MyTV channel exclusively on the internet, or DIRECTV STREAM. But the local ion TV, CW and Univision stations are designated exclusively on satellite. 

So your channel lineup may help you decide whether you want to sign up for DIRECTV or a 5-day free trial of DIRECTV STREAM.

Can I watch local sports on DIRECTV STREAM?

Yes. DIRECTV subscribers have local, in-market MLB, NBA and NHL games through a long roster of regional sports networks. You can get local regional sports networks through three different packages — Choice, Ultimate and Premier. 

1. Altitude Sports
2. SportsNet Pittsburgh
3. Bally Sports Arizona
4. Bally Sports Detroit
5. Bally Sports Florida
6. Bally Sports Great Lakes
7. Bally Sports Indiana
8. Bally Sports Kansas City
9. Bally Sports Midwest
10. Bally Sports New Orleans
11. Bally Sports North
12. Bally Sports Ohio
13. Bally Sports Oklahoma
14. Bally Sports San Diego
15. Bally Sports SoCal
16. Bally Sports South
17. Bally Sports Southeast
18. Bally Sports Southwest
19. Bally Sports Sun
20. Bally Sports West
21. Bally Sports Wisconsin
22. Longhorn Network
23. Marquee Sports Network
24. MASN
25. MASN2
26. MSG 
27. MSG Sportsnet
28. NBC Sports Bay Area
29. NBC Sports Boston
30. NBC Sports California 
31. NBC Sports Chicago 
32. Monumental Sports Network
33. NESN
34. ROOT Sports Northwest
35. SNY – Spectrum SportsNet New York
36. Spectrum SportsNet LA
37. YES Network

How to get local channels on DIRECTV STREAM

To start getting local channels with DIRECTV STREAM, you just need to pick a channel bundle, and sign up for a 5-day free trial.

Billing at the monthly rate will kick in if you don’t cancel before the end of the free trial. All channel bundles include unlimited Cloud DVR storage for recordings, and you can stream live TV on unlimited screens within your home.

DIRECTV STREAM has four main channel bundles called Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate and Premier.

Entertainment Package

The Entertainment package has the four big local broadcast networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. 

A subscription is $79.99 per month.

You get 75 live TV channels, including popular cable networks such as HGTV, Discovery and ESPN. 

AMC, Comedy Central, Food Network, Hallmark Channel, Nickelodeon, Lifetime, National Geographic, TBS, TLC, and TNT are among the entertainment networks. 

There are cable news channels such as CNN, Fox News and MSNBC. The Entertainment package comes with a 5-day free trial.

Choice Package

The Choice package includes local NBC and FOX stations, MLB Network, NBA TV, ESPNU, ESPNews, Fox Sports 1, Travel Channel, and Tennis Channel.

A subscription costs $108.99 per month. Regional sports networks (RSNs) include AT&T SportsNet, Bally Sports, NBC Sports, YES Network. Getting RSNs depends on where you live. 

The Choice package comes with a 5-day free trial.

Note: DIRECTV STREAM recently adopted a regional sports fee. But for now, it is not in every part of the U.S. You can check for the RSN fee on the DIRECTV website by typing in your zip code. 

Ultimate Package

The Ultimate package costs $119.99 per month. Ultimate subscribers get over 140 channels, including locals and sought-after sports channels such as NHL Network.

It adds every live STARZ and ENCORE channel to the lineup. A subscription costs $109.99 per month. The Ultimate package comes with a 5-day free trial.

Premier Package

The Premier package has more than 150 channels. It combines local channels, news, entertainment and sports networks that are in the less expensive packages. 

Premier subscribers get Max, STARZ, Showtime and Cinemax along with other premium channels. A subscription is $164.99 per month. The Premier package comes with a 5-day free trial.

Can I stream local channels on DIRECTV?

Yes. DIRECTV satellite subscribers are able to stream their local channels and other networks in their subscription through the DIRECTV app. The DIRECTV app is available on tablets, Android smartphones and iPhones. 

You can use the DIRECTV app on popular streaming devices such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Smart TVs running Google TV or Android TV.

Other streaming services with local channels

DIRECTV STREAM isn’t alone in the live TV streaming world when it comes to providing local channels. 

Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, Fubo, and YouTube TV all have their own live TV bundles that offer local broadcast networks. 

Fubo

Fubo (formerly fuboTV) has about 152 channels in the Pro plan including local FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC, MyTV, Univision, and Telemundo stations.

The Pro plan has CNBC, ESPN, FS1, NFL Network, AMC, A&E, FX, and SyFy. 

The fubo Pro plan costs $79.99 per month. Fubo adds a regional sports fee. It costs $11.99 per month for one regional network. It’s $14.99 per month if you have two RSNs in your area. 

You should look over the channel lineup for your area before signing up.

You will be able to record games using 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR. Subscribers can watch live TV on 10 screens at once. The “lookback” feature maintains an on-demand style menu for MLB and NBA games that aired in the last 72 hours. 

Fubo has an option to increase your sports channels. The Sports Plus add-on bundle has 30 channels, including NFL RedZone, MLB Network, NHL Network and NBA TV. The Sports Plus add-on costs $10.99 per month.

Fubo has apps for pretty much every device, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Fire Stick. Google TV and Android TV Smart TVs have Fubo apps. 

Look over the channel lineup to see what locals and regional sports networks you’d get before deciding whether to try out Fubo. You can read my article about Fubo’s channel lineup for more information.

Hulu Live TV

Hulu Live TV has 75+ live TV channels, including local ABC, CBS, Crime + Investigation, Cozi TV, Dabl, FOX, NBC and Telemundo stations across the U.S.

ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN College Extra, ACC Network, CBS Sports Network and SEC Network are included. Hulu has local NBC regional sports channels. 

You can watch live TV on up to two screens at once.

Hulu with Live TV comes with unlimited Cloud DVR storage so you can record sports, news, movies or whatever else you want. 

A subscription costs $76.99 per month, and now includes Disney+ and ESPN+. With a Hulu Live TV subscription, you can activate the ESPN app for ESPN3, and unlock all live sports on ESPN Plus.

So you’re getting more than just live TV channels to watch.

Hulu’s channel lineup has local NBC, ABC and FOX stations across the U.S. My article about Hulu Live TV’s full channel lineup has more details.

Sling TV

Sling TV has local ABC, NBC and FOX stations in a small number of cities across the U.S. 

To get locals, you need to subscribe to the Sling Blue package. Sling Blue costs $40 per month. 

Keep in mind that some customers will pay a little more to get local channels. Customers in Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and San Francisco will pay $5 more per month for local stations. Those five markets have local NBC and FOX stations. 

Sling Blue has NFL Network, A&E, MTV and USA Network as part of the channel lineup. 

The Sling Orange package carries 31 live TV channels, including Cartoon Network, ESPN, HGTV and A&E. Sling Orange does not have local channels. You do have the option to combine Sling Blue and Sling Orange together for $55 per month.  

Sling TV offers 50 hours of free Cloud DVR to all subscribers. All Sling Blue subscribers can watch live TV on three screens at once.

Sling TV works on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV (4th generation). When you sign up for Sling TV, there are no contracts, or extra fees like cable TV. 

If you prepay for a brief subscription, you can get a free streaming device.  You can read my article about the Sling TV channel lineup for more details.

YouTube TV

YouTube TV has 128 channels, including local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS and PBS Kids stations. 

A subscription to the Base plan costs $72.99 per month.

The YouTube TV base plan carries other key sports channels for fans such as TNT, TBS, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPNews, FS1, FS2, NFL Network, and MLB Network. YouTube TV carries regional NBC Sports networks across the U.S., but is missing others such as Bally Sports and YES Network.

You’ll be able to watch CNN, Golf Channel and FX. Unlimited Cloud DVR is included with a subscription. And you can create up to 6 profiles for a household per account.

The nice thing about YouTube TV is that you can watch ESPN online at home, or on your smartphone when you are traveling.

The service works with Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, NVIDIA Shield TV, Apple TV and Chromecast. Try out YouTube TV free 7-day trial without any obligation. Just be sure to cancel before the trial ends if you don’t want to get billed.

You can read my article about the YouTube TV channel lineup for more information.