QUINCY, Mass. and PRINCETON, N.J.– April 25, 2014 – Atlantic Broadband, Grande Communications and RCN today announced partnerships with Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) to enable their customers to easily find and watch the best shows and movies from Netflix through the same set-top box used to watch Live TV.
The Netflix App will be fully integrated into the award-winning TiVo service distributed by the providers. Atlantic Broadband, Grande Communications and RCN customers who subscribe to Netflix will be able to access Netflix in addition to Live TV, On Demand shows and other web content through one single device. The partnership eliminates the complexity of multiple boxes, remote controls, input ports and cables and delivers the Netflix experience to the coveted “biggest screen in the home,” creating a home-viewing experience that is both simple and enjoyable. Customers can use their TiVo DVR to easily search, browse and binge on a rich selection of commercial-free TV shows and movies that Netflix offers, including highly acclaimed original series such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black.
“Now, watching Netflix is as easy as changing the channel,” said David Isenberg, chief marketing and strategy officer, Atlantic Broadband. “The ever-expanding selection of titles on Netflix is a tremendous complement to Atlantic Broadband’s existing portfolio of Live TV, HD channels and On Demand programming. Integrating the world’s leading Internet TV network with the world’s best DVR platform underscores our commitment to delivering customers what they want – instantly.”
“The dynamics of this game-changing relationship are clear: more choices for the viewer via a simple, unified device,” stated Jim Holanda, chief executive officer at RCN and Grande Communications. “RCN and Grande Communications continue an unrelenting focus on delivering the best viewing experience for our customers through smart partnerships, innovation and superior Internet speeds of up to 110Mbps. The ability to seamlessly deliver new volumes of entertainment through industry leaders Netflix and TiVo is yet another way we are providing the best in customer convenience and satisfaction.”
“Our view has long been that the marriage of linear television and streaming over-the-top (OTT) TV is the future of television, and Netflix has clearly emerged as a must-have OTT service,” said TiVo President and CEO Tom Rogers. “Today’s announcement underscores the transformative nature of the TiVo technology and its proven ability to enable OTT providers to be seamlessly integrated into a pay-TV platform. TiVo is the common technological thread bridging the gap for the first time here in the U.S. between operators and OTT services to help them deliver a superior and more complete offering to their subscribers. We couldn’t be happier to have blazed this trail by providing the first cable operator implementations of Netflix with our European partners Virgin and Com Hem, and we are thrilled be part of today’s game-changing announcement that this milestone will also occur in the U.S. We are highly confident that this combined offering will be extremely well-received by Atlantic Broadband, RCN and Grande subscribers alike.”
“Atlantic Broadband, Grande Communications and RCN are making it even easier for their customers to watch Netflix on their TVs,” said Bill Holmes, head of business development at Netflix. “These three cable companies are leading innovators, offering more choices and a great experience to their customers. Not only are they the first U.S. cable providers to offer Netflix on their set-top boxes, they have also directly connected their networks to Netflix, enabling a better viewing experience with faster startup times and superior image quality.”
Pricing
Customers must subscribe separately to Atlantic Broadband, Grande Communications or RCN TiVo DVR service and Netflix. There are no additional Atlantic Broadband, Grande Communications or RCN charges to access Netflix beyond the monthly TiVo subscription fees.
Availability
The Netflix offerings from Atlantic Broadband, Grande Communications and RCN will be available to customers with TiVo service as early as April 28, 2014.