Yahoo! Finance & News

Cable operators buff up guides for Internet age

July 10, 2013

Many cable TV companies also offer hundreds of live TV signals and on-demand programs over mobile devices using Internet technology. These apps — such as Time Warner Cable's TWC TV, Comcast's Xfinity, and Cablevision's Optimum — turn mobile devices connected to home networks into virtual TV sets on smaller screens. But customers have to be home to use these most of these services, and many aren't aware of them.

Brett Sappington, director of research at Parks Associates, says the lack of awareness could be caused by the failure of cable TV operators to advertise such services, known as TV Everywhere. After all, such services do not generate extra revenue, as they are part of a monthly subscription.

Sappington says the people who make use of TV Everywhere are also video lovers who already tend to be higher-spending, loyal customers anyway.

That's partly what makes improved program guides more important. One key strategy in preventing customers from dropping service is having a greater breadth of programming, an advantage that isn't apparent when guides are difficult to use, he says.

"Pay TV has been trying to compete on the premium end forever with more content and more first-run content," he says. "The problem is if you can't find it, you might as well not have it."

From the article, "Cable operators buff up guides for Internet age."

Previously In The News

Most US tablet shoppers considering an iPad

Just in case there was any doubt remaining about the growing popularity of tablets, Parks Associates published Friday the results of its latest survey into the buying habits of the US public this h...

75% with Internet-connected smart TVs regularly watch online video

New market research from Parks Associates finds the percentages of U.S. smart TV owners who use this Internet-connected device to watch online video increased by over 30% in six months. "The pe...

A ray of light for Microsoft’s Surface: Consumer interest doubled Nexus tablet interest ahead of holidays

Tablets are a hot category once again this holiday season and as it did in 2011, Apple’s iPad lineup is seen leading the pack this year. According to a survey conducted between October and November...

Smartphones and tablets driving interactive TV viewing

Enriching the viewing experience with show-related info Now, the latest research from Parks Associates reveals that tablet and smartphone owners are turning to their devices for interactive TV...

‹
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
...
32
33
›