Report asserts that pay-TV should watch out for digital downloads

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 2nd 2008 at 5:09AM

Seriously, who's not on watch for digital downloads these days? DVDs? Check. Blu-ray Discs? Check. Pay-TV operators? Check. According to new data gathered by Research and Markets, "console-affiliated media portals such as Microsoft's Xbox LIVE and Sony's PlayStation Network will soon become formidable competitors to incumbent pay-TV services." As the report notes, the digital downloads available via these services will eventually become "compelling alternatives to traditional TV programming by providing a more immersive, interactive video experience." Of course, this "research" comes at a time when everyone and their mother are jumping on this bandwagon, but it's still reasonable to assert that most anything providing access to content via the internet has a serious chance to replace traditional pay-TV services. Whether or not that actually happens en masse, however, remains to be seen.

Filed under: Industry, Cable, Fiber, Internet, Satellite

Tags: 2012, analysis, console, data, digital downloads, DigitalDownloads, gaming, hd netflix, hd rentals, HdNetflix, HdRentals, microsoft, pay tv, pay-tv, PayTv, playstation 3, Playstation3, ps3, rent, rentals, renting, report, research, sony, stream, streaming, survey, watch instantly, WatchInstantly, xbox, xbox 360, xbox live, Xbox360, XboxLive

Subscribe to these comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

musky @ Dec 2nd 2008 7:08AM

This will only happen if the FCC (the Government) prevents Internet providers from capping how much someone can download. Cable/FIOS high speed Internet providers are not dumb they will not let people download unlimited amounts of HD video and chance losing their cable/FIOS subscribers.

Neutral

DrXym @ Dec 2nd 2008 8:12AM

I expect what you will see is the cable companies lowering the caps while simultaneously introducing their own VOD which is exempt from those restrictions. Companies love tying services together so that you can't leave without losing all of them.

Anti-competitive to be sure, but I'm sure they'll figure a way to pretend it isn't, that the VOD is somehow not subject same restrictions because its on a local loop inside the network or something.

Neutral

The Best of Big Download: July 6-12 Japanese hardware sales, June 29 - July 5: Pottermania edition Next World at War PC patch adds Map Pack 2	Boxcar brings Twitter push notifications to the iPhone Windows 7 RC users will be able to install Windows 7 Upgrade discs How to add Hulu Desktop icon to Windows Media Center
Talkcast reminder: 100th show tonight at 10 pm ET Radio Gaga, music lovers' new best friend iPhone may debut in Chinese market by early 2010, sans Wi-Fi	Entrepreneur's Journal: How to use Google's AdWords to ramp up new customers Biotech stock #6: Illumina (ILMN) The week in preview: Another tough quarter for the big banks
Halo Wars title update 3 details revealed X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Battlefield 1943 Ghostbusters demo busts out on XBLM, PSN	Amazing 1,500 fps video from the German Grand Prix REPORT: Next-gen Taurus likely to move to common platform with Fusion/Mondeo Gilligan's Island tech? Coconut oil-fueled, bamboo taxi
The Best of Big Download: July 6-12 Game Informer to reveal info about Rage in latest print issue Review: Trine	Packers May Have Trouble With Jolly Jennings Glad to Avoid Favre Fiasco Community in Mourning, But Not Denial