Before I start, I apologize if this issue has been on the forums before but I can find only passing mention of it. Like many, I'm trying to understand why I can no longer get ESPN + through Suddenlink Cable subscription. For some time, I could bring up Suddenlink and then switch over to Roku and select ESPN. With the ESPN streaming service, I could watch most any A&M sporting even but something has changed? Now when I select an event on ESPN it say I have to re-authenticate which is not a problem. I get on the internet and enter the number on the screen after going to ESPN.COM/Activate. From this menu, I'd select Suddenlink as my cable provider and then it says I can get ESPN +. When I try to select a sporting event on ESPN + on Roku I get the billing information. Annual Plan - $49.00 or Monthly Plan - $5.99. What has changed? Has ESPN started to charge an additional amount over what they get from Suddenlink. I tried Suddenlink support but they seem clueless. Thanks for your help.

Try Altice One

SEC + isn't the same as espn +. Tonight's game is on sec +

No Altice One - doesn't work either. I know SEC + and ESPN + are not the same and I'm not concerned about tonight's game, my question was more of a general one as to why something that was so great before used to work and now it doesn't?

You cannot get ESPN+ through Suddenlink. Confirm you understand it is a separate, direct (or bundled) only available from ESPN or via a Hulu bundle?

You should be able to validate your tv provider via either Suddenlink or via Altice One. I currently am validated with my Hulu package for ESPN+ and Spectrum for TV provider. The SECN and SECN+ license is via Spectrum. I can currently watch SECN+ content (Alcorn St. v. Vandy WBB) with those credentials. And ESPN+ (Peyton's Place.)

Note that the reference to Altice One is from Bobinator's article/thread and is recent and somewhat perplexing info. Kind of use it if it works???

i GET IT .....i SIGN IN ON MY ESPN ACCT.....THEN SIGN IN ON SUDDENLINK .....

Rudybryan said:

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i GET IT .....i SIGN IN ON MY ESPN ACCT.....THEN SIGN IN ON SUDDENLINK .....

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That's perfect.

Have not been able to get SEC+ for over a year on Suddenlink. Tried logging in on Altice One the last week, and SEC+ started working.

rhp said:

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Have not been able to get SEC+ for over a year on Suddenlink. Tried logging in on Altice One the last week, and SEC+ started working.

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Did you switch to Altice One? Or is your thought that there is some kind of agreement between Suddenlink and Altice One. I'm not familiar with either to be honest.

greg.w.h said:

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rhp said:

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Have not been able to get SEC+ for over a year on Suddenlink. Tried logging in on Altice One the last week, and SEC+ started working.

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Did you switch to Altice One? Or is your thought that there is some kind of agreement between Suddenlink and Altice One. I'm not familiar with either to be honest.

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What I see: Altice One is an add-on device like a DVR. So it is an extra cost item above the Suddenlink tiered service. Does Suddenlink communicate that Altice One is required to get SECN+?

I believe you that it works, and is a potential solution if you are subscribed additionally to that service. But honestly it's not good for Suddenlink to fail to service their customers or to communicate clearly.

I do have the Altice One DVR, maybe you have to have that with Suddenlink for SEC+. I really don't know.
All I know, are that the tech at Suddenlink have no clue.

rhp said:

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I do have the Altice One DVR, maybe you have to have that with Suddenlink for SEC+. I really don't know.
All I know, are that the tech at Suddenlink have no clue.

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Saw this thread at TigerDroppings. My hypothesis is that Altice One requires licensing for customers that have the DVR from Suddenlink so it might only work for customers with the device. Note the stories below the OP...

https://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/lsu-sports/secn-with-suddenlink-info/88938331/

SECA and suddenlink ch 41 is not espn+ ............................espn + is a paid subscription you pay espn.....and its a streaming service....so if you hav smart TV you can get on TV

I'm not sure if this was a hole which ESPN decided to plug, but I was able to get ESPN + using Roku on my TV through Suddenlink for quite some time. I think the an x-factor if you would is the new bundle which includes (ESPN+, Disney and Hulu) it makes sense that Disney or ESPN (same thing) is getting paid by Hulu so they're not going to give it away to Suddenlink via Roku or anyone else. Well it was fun while it lasted. Thanks again for all those that helped out on this post.

IPA4Me said:

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I'm not sure if this was a hole which ESPN decided to plug, but I was able to get ESPN + using Roku on my TV through Suddenlink for quite some time. I think the an x-factor if you would is the new bundle which includes (ESPN+, Disney and Hulu) it makes sense that Disney or ESPN (same thing) is getting paid by Hulu so they're not going to give it away to Suddenlink via Roku or anyone else. Well it was fun while it lasted. Thanks again for all those that helped out on this post.

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Disney fully owns ESPN and now Hulu. And, yes, the ESPN offerings are a little complicated.

ESPN's insider/ (now content is designated with a "+") has been a long time offering that includes a magazine and website content. The streaming offering ESPN+ is a joint venture between Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International (in partnership with ESPN) (80% ownership) and Hearst Communications (20%.). You may also hear it called an "over the top" offering and Clay Travis has used that term frequently.

I don't recall any bundling in the 2018 time frame. It was content offered with linear subscriptions as ESPN3 online prior to the launch. The history on the Wikipedia article confirms that but also notes that ESPN transitioned the Insider subscribers into ESPN+ while they kept the lower $39.99 price and kept the magazine until it ended publication in 2019.

Today ESPN+ includes both the streamed content that is viewable through ESPN apps and the additional formerly insider content on their website. I would not be surprised if you had an Insider sub that allowed you to see + content on the Roku. But the history doesn't mention other bundles than the Hulu/Disney+/ESPN+ bundle.

But that history explains the complication, too. The subs of the linear channels via cable/sat media providers aligns with the TV provider sign in. The regular sign-in must have a subscription that is either a grandfathered Insider or ESPN+.

As Rudy suggested: sign in to ESPN first with a + sub and test watching some + labeled content via the "watch" tab in the app or looking for the ESPN+ brand.

Then if that works authenticate with your TV provider and check for SECN+ and look for SEC Network-branded content and test that.

If you're with Suddenlink notice that you may need to authenticate with Altice One instead of Suddenlink especially if you have an Altice One device/DVR. Or switch to internet-based streaming and use YouTube.tv or Hulu Live TV or Dish Sling or Direct Now with appropriate sports tier for the various services.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESPN%2B