The popular TV streaming service Zattoo is changing its terms and conditions for Swiss users from December 15, 2020.
What are the most important changes?
The free basic Zattoo Free will no longer include a TV recording function. This means Zattoo Free users will only be able to watch live broadcasts. The number of TV channels available on Zattoo (over 250) will remain the same.
The Zattoo Premium plan will cost 12 francs instead of the current 10 francs. Existing customers will automatically be charged to their credit cards based on the new pricing. Zattoo is doubling the TV recording capacity from 500 to 1000 recordings. Other features like the 7-day time shifting function, HD picture and the live TV pause function will remain the unchanged for Zattoo Premium subscribers.
The most expensive plan, Zattoo Ultimate, will continue to cost 20 francs per month. The TV recording capacity is increasing to 2000 recordings from the previous 750. The other functions like 7-day time shifting, HD picture and live TV pause will remain unchanged.
How do Zattoo’s TV streaming plans compare to competing offers?
Major TV streaming services in Switzerland which compete with Zattoo are Teleboy, Sunrise subsidiary Wilmaa, and Swisscom’s blue TV Air.
You can get a clear overview of how the no-fee Zattoo Free plan compares to other free basic plans here:
| Free Plans |
Zattoo |
Teleboy |
Wilmaa |
Swisscom |
| Plan |
Free |
Free |
Free |
blue TV Air free |
| Channels |
250 in SD
134 in HD |
254 in SD
152 in HD |
260 in SD
140 in HD |
250 in SD
100 in HD |
| TV recorder |
None |
5 hours |
60 hours |
None |
| Time shifting |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Teleboy Free and Wilmaa Free delete TV recordings after 14 days.
Wilmaa is currently the best option if you want a free TV streaming plan with a TV recording function. Wilmaa’s still provides a 60-hour TV recording function with its basic free plan can still record up to 60 hours of TV.
Here you can see how Zattoo Premium, the cheaper of the two paid plans, compares with the cheapest plans from other TV streaming services:
| Paid Plans |
Zattoo |
Teleboy |
Wilmaa |
Swisscom |
| Product |
Premium |
Plus |
Me |
blue TV Air free |
| Price in francs |
12.00 per month |
9.50 per month |
9.90 per month |
10.00 per month |
| Channels |
250 in SD
34 in HD |
254 in SD
152 in HD |
260 in SD
140 in HD |
250 in SD
100 in HD |
| TV recorder |
1000 recordings |
300 hours |
500 hours |
60 hours |
| Time shifting |
7 days |
7 days |
7 days |
30 hours |
The price increase makes Zattoo Premium slightly more expensive than the three competing plans. Previously, the price differences between service providers were very small. Note that while Zattoo’s Premium plan is now more expensive than competing offers, it has a higher TV recording capacity.
Conclusion by telecom expert Ralf Beyeler
Zattoo is simultaneously raising its price tag and increasing the TV recording capacity of its paid plans. But many TV viewers do not need such a high-capacity recording function and would likely prefer to keep the former lower price.
Zattoo’s price increase comes as a surprise because a 10-franc monthly fee has been standard for TV streaming in Switzerland for many years now. Now Zattoo has become the first service to make an upwards break. It will be interesting to see whether other streaming services will follow suit.
More on this topic:
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