Can I pick my own channels with IPTV?

Why do IPTV services sell one full channel list?

Because it keeps things simple: one login, one list, one price. IPTV plans are usually priced by how long you subscribe and how many screens you use, not by channel. A channel you never watch costs you nothing extra; you simply skip it.

That is how IPTV Nord works. Every IPTV Nord plan includes the same channels, from $19 for 1 month to $79 CAD for 12 months on one screen. The one choice you make is the package:

• Full Channels: everything, including French and international groups.
• English Channels Only: a shorter English list that is quicker to scroll.

Both packages cost the same, and our team can switch your line later in Live Chat. The downside of one big list is size: on older devices a long list can be slow to scroll, which is exactly what the shorter package is for.

How do you make your own channel list in an IPTV app?

Use favourites for the channels you watch, and hide the groups you never open. In TiviMate it takes two steps, and both need the paid TiviMate Premium upgrade:

1. Add favourites. Highlight a channel, hold OK on the remote and choose Add to favourites. Your favourites then sit together in their own group.
2. Hide groups. Hide the groups you never use, such as languages nobody at home speaks.

Favourites are usually saved in the app on each device, so the kids' TV and the living room TV can each have their own short list. Our TiviMate setup guide covers the app, and our answer on setting favourite channels covers IPTV Smarters Pro and other players.

Which TV providers let you pay only for the channels you want?

In Canada, most cable, satellite and telecom TV providers must let you, and they are often the same companies that sell your internet. Under CRTC rules in place since 2016:

• Providers must offer a basic TV package of no more than $25 a month, not counting equipment.
• On top of it, you can add channels one at a time or in small packs of up to 10.
• Providers with fewer than 20,000 subscribers in an area do not have to offer these options.

The CRTC's own answer on picking your TV channels adds a useful warning: pick-and-pay suits people who want a basic package plus a few channels. If you watch many channels, a bundle can cost less. For a side-by-side look at the two options, see whether IPTV is better than cable.