TiVo has long held relationships with pay TV providers and now its newest device is meeting the demand for operators focusing on broadband instead of video.
When TiVo first introduced its Stream 4K at CES in January, it promised that in addition to selling the device through retail channels, it planned to market Stream 4K in partnership with multichannel video programming distributors that want to offer the device to their broadband-only subscribers. Schurz Communications was the first MVPD to commit to a co-marketing relationship with TiVo.
“Schurz is thrilled to be working with TiVo on this exciting project,” said Tom Williams, CTO at Schurz Communications, in a statement. “TiVo Stream 4K will enhance the relationship Schurz has with our very important broadband-only subscribers.”
Now TiVo has a new deal in place with a U.S. cable operator group that includes Wave Broadband, RCN and Grande Communications.
The provider is giving RCN, Grande or Wave high-speed internet (100 Mbps or higher) customers a TiVo Stream 4K free for 12 months. The company said additional devices are available at $0.99/month for the first year. After the first 12 months, the first free TiVo Stream 4K device will cost $1.49/month and any additional devices will cost $1.49/month for that same time period. The company said the deal is designed to allow customers to try the device for free for one year, and “a nominal price per month thereafter making it truly affordable.”
Sling TV, which has deep integration with the 4K Stream, is getting in on the deal, too, and offering a $10 monthly discount for new subscribers.
“At RCN, Grande and Wave, we’re committed to seeking out innovative integrations and partnerships to provide customers choices – it’s a tenet of our organization. As a broadband company, our goal is to offer flexible, affordable services so that customers have multiple avenues of getting the entertainment they really want. The TiVo Stream 4K offering works quite well into our strategy moving forward. We have been and will continue to bring innovative solutions to customers in our markets,” said Chris Fenger, COO of RCN, Grande and Wave.
Ben Maughan, vice president of consumer, data and advertising at TiVo, said his company offers a portfolio of solutions for pay TV operators to address their different consumer segments and market needs. He said TiVo’s Next-Gen Platform helps operators offer a full cloud-based pay TV service to their core video subscribers, while TiVo Stream 4K enables them to address the needs of their broadband-only subscribers.