Amazon.com, Inc. has announced a new offer for its Amazon Prime Video streaming service that allows customers to sign up to video on demand (VOD) services from a range of premium cable providers.

The Streaming Partners Program sees Amazon Prime customers being able to obtain access to premium programming from 20 providers, the most prominent being Showtime and Starz, at the same time as it is shown on cable television on an a la carte month-to-month basis with some providers offering a free try-before-you-buy trial period as well.

Making the offering more appealing is that the channels are also being offered at a discount to their standalone subscription prices, with access to Showtime and Starz available for $8.99 each per month compared to a regular direct price of $11 a month.

Under the program Amazon handles subscriber acquisition, complete with billing, customer service, and credit card expirations, along with streaming the content over their servers.

“The way people watch TV is changing, and customers need an easier way to subscribe to and enjoy multiple streaming subscriptions,” said Amazon Vice President of Digital Video Michael Paull said in a statement. “With the Streaming Partners Program, we’re making it easy for video providers to reach highly engaged Prime members, many of whom are already frequent streamers, and we’re making it easier for viewers to watch their favorite shows and channels.”

Cord cutter’s dream

While Amazon has boosted its original programming content in the last few years in an effort to attract new Prime subscribers, the streaming service itself has often be considered by many to been an afterthought, or occasionally a bonus to Prime’s core offering of free shipping.

What this deal does is completely change the game when it comes to premium VOD services by creating a one-stop shop for content from different providers all under the same roof; the concept of being able to, on an a la carte basis, subscribe to services such as Showtime at a discounted rate without having to set up a separate account, all through Amazon Prime, is going to be a huge selling point for the service going forward.

It is quite simply a cord cutter’s dream.

The services available at launch are SHOWTIME, STARZ, A+E Network (Lifetime Movie Club), AMC (Shudder and SundanceNow Doc Club), Gaia, RLJ Entertainment (Acorn TV, Urban Movie Channel, Acacia TV), DramaFever (DramaFever Instant), Tribeca Shortlist, Cinedigm (Dove Channel, Docurama, CONtv), Smithsonian (Smithsonian Earth), IndieFlix (IndieFlix Shorts), Curiosity Stream, Qello Concerts, FlixFling (Cinefest, Nature Vision, Warriors and Gangsters, Dox, Monsters and Nightmares), BroadbandTV (Hooplakidz Plus), DEFY Media (ScreenJunkies Plus), Gravitas (Film Forum, Daring Docs, Fear Factory), and Ring TV Boxing.

The content can be accessed through the Amazon Video app on TVs, streaming media players, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online at Amazon.com/amazonvideo.

Image credit: Amazon.