The National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) has scored a series of discounts and partnerships to support its more than 750 broadband and cable operator members.
NCTC has a new agreement that will allow its members to buy Amazon Fire TV devices – including the Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Fire TV Cube – at a discount, and then offer sell them bundled with pay TV or broadband services to their subscribers.
"As more of our members deploy app-based pay TV offerings, having the option to purchase Amazon Fire TV streaming devices at a discount will help our broadband and cable operator members retain video customers by creating affordable options that do not rely on a traditional set-top box. These devices are a great compliment to services like MobiTV or for broadband only offerings by our members," said Rich Fickle, president of NCTC, in a statement.
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NCTC also reached an agreement with CCI Systems to provide its members with access to Cisco hardware, software and support at preferred pricing. Members can also use CCI’s SmartNet advisory services for hardware and software recommendations geared toward cost reduction, along with consulting support on network builds and expansions.
NCTC’s deal with PerfectVision, which builds cable and telecom infrastructure products, carries “aggressive price discounts on cabling, grounding supplies and tools” to cooperative members. PerfectVision pledged to maintain stock levels so that NCTC member companies will get timely fulfillment on orders placed through NCTC’s group purchasing organization.
Finally, NCTC set a deal with Techint Labs, a marketing agency providing advertising services, including programmatic advertising, retargeting and SEO/SEM. NCTC member operators will have access to digital lead generation programs designed to grow subscribers by pushing new subscriptions and upsells.
“I’m excited to welcome Techint Labs into our community of supplier partners. Their plug-and-play marketing program will enable independent cable and broadband providers to grow subscribers through search engine marketing, digital retargeting, and device ID retargeting,” said Pam Gillies, vice president of marketing and communications at NCTC, in a statement.