Starting Monday you may not require a Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast or additional device just to stream Netflix at home. You will, however, still need a cable subscription. Netflix recently inked deals with three U.S. cable providers under which new cable boxes will ship with a pre-installed Netflix application. It’s a somewhat bizarre move, considering cable companies have typically battled against streaming alternatives.
Netflix has grabbed its first foothold with cable operators in the United States, with plans to launch on three smaller companies next week through an app on TiVo DVRs. The deals are with RCN Telecom Services, Atlantic Broadband and Grande Communications. The MSOs are tiny compared with giants like Comcast or Time Warner Cable, but the deals show that at least some in the cable biz are receptive to Netflix’s overtures. RCN has about 333,000 video subs, while Atlantic Broadband has 230,000 customers and Grande serves around 140,000.
