Peacock confirms it has stopped offering free tier to new customers
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Comcast's (NASDAQ:CMCSA) Peacock streaming service will now require new customers to pay for the service, ending the free tier for new subscribers.
The move, which was reported by multiple outlets late on Tuesday and confirmed by a Comcast (CMCSA) Peacock spokesperson, marks a change in strategy at NBCUniversal, Comcast's (CMCSA) media division.

New users will have to pick from one of Peacock's two paid tiers, Peacock Premium, which costs $4.99 per month or can be purchased for $29 per year; or Peacock Premium Plus, which costs $9.99 per month.
In December, NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell said at an investment conference that Peacock had 18M paid subscribers, up from 15M at the end of the third-quarter.
"We've doubled our paid subscribers at Peacock since the beginning of the year," Shell said at the time. "That's real subscribers paying us real American dollars, not some of the bundled wholesale stuff that you see outside from other people."
Last month, Comcast (CMCSA) raised its dividend by 7.4% to 29 cents per share, with the next payment payable to shareholders of record by April 5.