US cable operators trial internet delivery

by Staff, Brand Republic 27-Aug-09, 11:00

NEW YORK - US cable TV operator Time Warner Cable has become the latest pay-TV company to attempt to extend its reach to the internet with a service which will include content from BBC America, CBS and Discovery.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Time Warner Cable is to trial an internet service available to paying subscribers.

It has secured the participation of several pay-TV content owners and specific channels will include BBC America, 'Mad Men' broadcaster AMC, NBC Universal's sci-fi channel Syfy, Time Warner's own drama channel TNT, while media companies CBS, Discovery and Viacom are expected to be involved.

A similar test was started in July by Comcast, the biggest US cable network by subscriber numbers. Comcast's test includes around 5,000 homes and Time Warner Cable's is expected to reach this scale too.

The popularity of watching online TV and the availability of free content from broadcast networks through portals such as Hulu is leading cable companies to preserve their subscriber base.

The UK's leading pay-TV platform BSkyB is more advanced with its efforts, having originally launched an internet download service for its pay-TV customers in 2006.

By the end of last year Sky Player had been expanded to cover live TV and was made available to non-Sky customers.

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January 2009 review of Sky Player.