Comcast is trying to get in on the over-the-top (OTT) TV game, bringing TV to viewers online instead of through their cable box.

They won’t be the first, of course. Netflix, Hulu, Dish, HBO and a host of others beat them to the punch, setting off a cord cutting revolution among millennials and others who don’t want to overpay for a bloated package of channels they don’t watch.Wanting in on the action, Comcast is launching Stream, its version of web TV, says Re/code. Stream will give viewers access to all of the broadcast networks and HBO for $15 a month (HBO Now alone costs $15). But there’s a catch. Stream will only be available to Comcast’s 23 million broadband customers, so Comcast is cutting the cord, sort of.Comcast plans to test Stream in Boston this summer, followed by Chicago and Seattle. Depending on its success in these test markets, it could expand to all markets as early as 2016.As Re/code points out, all OTT TV services require a broadband connection to utilize their services. What’s different about this particular offering is that Comcast is both the broadband provider and the OTT provider.Let’s look at a Comcast/Xfinity cost comparison. Comcast Internet blast service costs about $60 a month. Add on the new Stream package for $15, and you’re paying $75 a month for Internet and the OTT package. If you buy Comcast’s digital starter TV package, you’ll pay $50 a month which does not include the Internet. But if you get the Starter XF Double Play package, you’ll pay $80 a month for cable, Internet, HBO and Streampix.The folks are Wired are skeptical. In their analysis, they point out some of Stream’s limitations. For example, the service can only be used in a customer’s home and it is limited to two devices. Also, the service is not available on Roku, Fire TV or other set-top boxes, so people won’t be able to watch Stream on their TVs, only on smaller screens (e.g., laptops, tablets, etc.).Maybe Comcast’s play here is, sure, we can hook you up with Stream if you don’t want cable – but you’ll get more with cable and the Internet for only $5 more per month. In other words, Comcast has an upsell opportunity there.Insider Take:On the consumer side, it looks like a bit of smoke and mirrors, and we’d be skeptical as consumers. We’d want to see a line by line comparison of cost and channel options before committing to cable or Stream services.As a subscription service, however, this is a pretty smart play by Comcast. The package isn’t perfect, and it may evolve a lot from test to market, but Comcast is showing that it is paying attention to what other OTT providers are offering, and it recognizes that people want more choices.It is trying to cater to a millennial audience that is doing things differently than previous generations. Comcast knows that it can’t keep doing the same things it’s always done. It must be nimble and creative to retain its market share and perhaps bring on new customers. Perhaps it hasn’t found the perfect formula or mix yet, but at least it’s willing to experiment.Comcast is also smart to try this in different markets first to see if it will be successful, and if it isn’t, to make changes or come up with an entirely new strategy. No matter how it works out, Comcast is showing us that it is innovative and willing to adapt to a changing marketplace.