Tech startup TVWIZZ puts channel choice in consumers’ hands
September 7, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
You’ve heard it before: Millennials are killing the cable TV industry.
With millions of young people “cord cutting” in lieu of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, traditional cable viewership has dropped by more than 40 percent, according to Nielson.
For many, it comes down to price, said Michael Hockey, founder of TVWIZZ, a free, independent TV price comparison website allowing users to customize their cable plans by specifying the channels they actually want to watch.
Michael Hockey
An algorithm lets users select the channels, then the platform matches them with available packages, offering price comparisons from such providers as DirecTV, CenturyLink Stream, DirecTV Now, PlayStation Vue, Hulu Live, Sling TV, Fubo TV and Dish TV.
The technology, which Hockey launched as TVWIZZ earlier this year after relocating to Kansas City from London, is consumer driven with a goal to offer reduced prices, Hockey said.
“Cable prices are a hot topic at the moment,” he said. “It can be confusing for people to switch providers because they are unsure which TV providers carry their channels.”
TVWIZZ launched during the Labor Day weekend and generated more than 7,000 users in its first week, Hockey said.
“We had to double server capacity on Monday (Labor Day) to cope with the load,” he said.
The technology does not favor one cable company over another, Hockey said. The user-friendly design allows users to filter channels by genre and filter packages by price point or best match, he added.
“Millions of homes in America are starting to question the outdated ways of billing for pay TV, where you pay for 300 channels, but watch 10,” Hockey said. “Cord cutting is growing rapidly and TVWIZZ makes it easier for consumers to pay only for the channels they need.”
As the company grows, Hockey plans to launch similar price comparison services for the Internet, credit cards, insurance and cellular plans within one year. He’s looking forward to scaling the startup and recruiting technology jobs to Kansas City, he said.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
With KC startup Edcoda, students learn as wizard saviors
Across the U.S., student engagement is declining. By the time students reach high school, 2 out of 3 them will become disengaged, according to Gallup’s 2015 figures. But one Kansas City-based startup is working to change that by making fun a top priority. Edtech startup Edcoda created the 3D, online role-playing game Coda Quest, which…
KCK opens up data portal for transparency, ‘public good’
In an effort to increase transparency and improve services, the City of Kansas City, Kan. is offering access to large swaths of public data via a portal that makes the information more digestible. Thanks to a new open data administrative order, KCK launched its new data portal Thursday for residents to see such information as…
Fund me, KC: Crossing Arrows launches clothing line for the spirited girl
Startland News is continuing its segment to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like Crossing Arrows founder Tricia Steffes — to share their stories to gain a little help from their supporters. Back Crossing Arrows’ here. Who are you? Crossing Arrows, a clothing line is designed…
Kansas kicks off effort to increase high-speed Internet for schools
The Sunflower State it planning to boost Internet speeds in its public schools. The State of Kansas on Tuesday announced a partnership with San Francisco-based nonprofit EducationSuperHighway to increase school districts’ access to affordable, high-speed broadband. At no cost, the organization will help districts with IT support and data analysis to help upgrade the schools’…