Cablevision Systems said Wednesday that it is adding 15 HD channels in the days ahead at no extra charge to subscribers, which will enlarge its HD offer from 45 to 60 channels by early August.
One year ago, the cable-system operator based in suburban New York had just 23 HD channels in its iO digital service. Cablevision said 1.1 million of its iO TV customers now have at least one HD television set and HD-enabled set-top.
Cablevision currently has 2.7 million iO TV subscribers, which accounts for more than 85% of all of its customers and represents the highest digital penetration in the nation.
The new HD channels include Nickelodeon, WE tv, AMC, Animal Planet, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, Fox News Channel, Discovery Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel and FX. They will come online over five days starting July 28.
“Free HD has become an important competitive differentiator of our digital-cable service and, with these additions, iO TV customers will have access to 60 of the best HD channels at no additional cost, including all of the HD games of all nine New York-area professional-sports teams,” Cablevision senior vice president of product management John Trierweiler said in a statement.
