Cox confirms that X1 is in customer beta trials in San Diego

Cox Communications has finished lab and customer trials of Comcast's X1 platform and is now moving on to a customer beta test in its San Diego, Calif. market, a rep for the MSO confirmed to FierceCable.

"We are selling it reactively to customers who call in there," said Cox spokesman Todd Smith in an email. "Future plans are still TBD, but results thus far are encouraging."

Cox signed an agreement in January 2014 to license the cloud-based X1 video platform from Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA). Canada's Shaw Communications has a similar X1 licensing deal with Comcast.

San Diego customers who inquire about Cox's current-generation video delivery system, Contour, are given the option to try out the white-label X1 platform, called "Contour 2."

CableFax first reported that Cox is conducting these San Diego trials. 

Mark Greatrex, executive VP of sales and marketing for Cox, told the publication that the San Diego trials amount to a "beta launch," and that the MSO is still determining next steps in regard to its deployment of X1. 

Greatrex indicated, however, that Cox is looking to transition its Contour search and recommendation engine, which is architected by ThinkAnalytics, to the Comcast's recommendation technology.

In a recent interview with FierceCable, Comcast's Matthew Strauss, executive VP and general manager of video services, said Comcast is looking to forge more licensing deals for X1. But the company's priority is speeding deployment of the platform across its own platform. Comcast is currently installing 30,000 X1 boxes a day to its customers, Strauss said. 

For more:
- read this CableFax story

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