Sling TV s buffering problem is getting really annoying - but there s good news Tom's Guide Skip to main content Tom's Guide is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. Sling TV s buffering problem is getting really annoying - but there s good news By Henry T. Casey published 24 May 2022 Were you screaming at Sling this past weekend? (Image credit: Shutterstock) Noticing a lot of buffering in Sling TV lately? It appears we're not alone - and, yes, I said "we" on purpose, as I've been experiencing this issue myself. And it's all the more annoying when Sling has been one of the best streaming services and one of the most affordable of the best cable TV alternatives. Previously, that didn't come at the cost of a stable streaming experience. As of late, I saw this issue while watching my sport of choice: pro wrestling (on both TNT and AXS). The buffering I saw happened on both the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max and a web browser. I wasn't hearing anyone else vent about the issue, so I thought it was a super-limited problem. Then, I started to see evidence that this buffering wasn't isolated. On Friday night, a friend told me that Sling on their Xbox was buffering and buggy, while watching local channel Fox 5 in New York City. But once the official social media account @SlingAnswers (opens in new tab) tweeted out that it was aware of an issue, a larger problem became clear: We are aware that some customers are experiencing playback issues such as lagging or buffering on multiple devices.We appreciate your patience as we continue to work on a fix.May 21, 2022See more That tweet attracted a chorus of frustrated users, as it was not the time for buggy buffering: the NBA playoffs are on! Twitter user Donald Parham / @d_parham (opens in new tab) is practically asking for a refund, quote-tweeting Sling and stating "During the playoffs? We paying y'all money. Y'all gonna repay folks?" More anger came from user Signor Vespa / @LilAustinsDad (opens in new tab), who dropped some profanity on Sling before saying "I'm trying to watch the playoffs bro." Pretty bad. Works fine for every channel except TNT. With sports options on many streaming services it's hard to remain a loyal customer for over 6 yearsMay 21, 2022See more Wonder if your buggy Sling is like my buggy Sling? I've got some video of the problem: Sling on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max continues to go Botchamania. Anyone out there watch sling on a fire tv stick? Any time I'm watching wrestling on this thing … pic.twitter.com/O9IlHHHWfZMay 20, 2022See more Then, at 1:15 a.m. ET, the Sling Answers (opens in new tab) account posted the message "UPDATE: We know how frustrating tonight was. Our teams worked urgently to get your service back and we are happy to say they have resolved the issue. We appreciate your patience." Analysis Sling has one job and its price advantage isn t quality-proof Hopefully this means Sling's woes are gone. Tom's Guide has reached out for comment and will update this story if we receive it. But this whole incident is a big reminder that no matter how affordable a service is, it's not worth the discount if you can't see what you're trying to watch. I've been testing YouTube TV for an upcoming article, so I had an easy way to try something else. At $65 per month, it's $30 more per month than the $35 Sling TV package I pay for, but not everyone else has that option. And I bet some people would be plenty frustrated that they'd have to pay nearly twice as much for a stable feed.Today's best Google Chromecast with Google TV and Roku Streaming Stick 4K (2021) dealsReduced Price (opens in new tab)Roku Streaming Stick 4K (2021) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$49.99 (opens in new tab)$29.99 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)See all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Be In the Know Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Henry T. CaseySenior EditorHenry is a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans. Topics Streaming What to Watch See all comments (0) No comments yet Comment from the forums MOST READMOST SHARED1Amazon Prime Early Access Sale - best deals right now2Daily Quordle #258 - answers and hints for Sunday, October 93The best luxury mattress in 20224Rick and Morty season 6 episode 6 release date and time - How to watch online tonight, channel and more5House of the Dragon episode 8 release date and time - how to watch online tonight1Amazon Prime Early Access Sale - best deals right now2Daily Quordle #258 - answers and hints for Sunday, October 93The best luxury mattress in 20224Rick and Morty season 6 episode 6 release date and time - How to watch online tonight, channel and more5House of the Dragon episode 8 release date and time - how to watch online tonight