Comcast Targets Telcos with New AnyRoom On Demand

Service Leverages VoD Content, Not DVR Functionality

Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) announced a new service capability, dubbed AnyRoom On Demand, that enables customers to being watching a movie or on-demand program in one room, and continue watching it in other rooms equipped with cableco-provided set-top boxes.

The service, which was outlined in a promotional magazine sent to customers, is designed to help leverage its VoD assets. It’s dissimilar from archrival Verizon Communications Inc.’s (VZ)   nearly year-old, multiroom DVR offering with FiOS.

Comcast’s AnyRoom On Demand requires each room to have a digital set-top box. The Verizon offering lets users watch content recorded on a DVR in one room on any other connected TV set without needing a second DVR unit.

AT&T Inc. (ATT) plans to launch a whole-home DVR service for U-verse by yearend.

Comcast literature explained that subscribers need only start a movie or on-demand program on one TV, stop it when desired, and finish watching it – or restart it – on another TV with Digital Cable in the home.

Actual operation, however, seems less smooth. “To continue watching or restart a program in another room, simply go to Channel 1 and choose the Saved Programs folder (found on the second page of the On Demand Main Menu,” explained the Comcast mailer. “Select your program and start watching instantly.”

Comcast said it will charge users “per movie ordered per set,” but did not provide further pricing detail.

Related Articles

AT&T to Offer Multiroom DVR in Second Half

NXTcomm: Entone Launches Multiroom DVR Support on Home Gateway

First Findings: Verizon’s Multi-Room DVR Service

Share this article: Email, Slashdot, Digg, Del.icio.us, Yahoo!MyWeb, Windows Live Favorites, Furl
Add this article feed to: RSS, My Yahoo, Newsgator, Bloglines