Comcast Media Center is pushing its video-on-demand package to smaller cable operators, offering the VOD In a Box turnkey service with 3,300 hours of programming for as low as 31 cents per subscriber per month for a system with 2,500 digital customers when bundled with the linear HITS Quantum service.
Under CMC's new pricing structure, cable systems can buy linear programming from HITS Quantum's HD, SD and Classic lineups while adding the managed VOD service at a reduced rate.
In addition, CMC now offers a marketing kit for VOD In a Box affiliates to promote the service, including cross-channel spots, a customer-education video, print advertising and point-of-purchase materials that operators can customize with local branding and sales information.
CMC also released a case study conducted with Glasgow EPB, a utility that offers cable and telecom services in Glasgow, Ky., that found VOD revenue increased 117% in the first four months the operator offered the managed VOD service. Video-on-demand currently represents almost $3.50 in additional digital customer revenue per month for Glasgow EPB.
VOD In a Box, which CMC jointly offers with Arris, allows cable systems to accept content from multiple sources without requiring management of the content at each headend. In addition to the hardware, installation and maintenance required to launch and support VOD, the service includes centralized services to assist in acquiring and managing content, creating and validating metadata, and pitching VOD content to the Arris servers.
