A new report from Nielsen indicates that video-on-demand is finally coming into its own after a slow start. The report says VOD is now available in 60% of American households, according to the Los Angeles Times. That figure represents “a dramatic increase” from just five years ago, when the services were “slow to catch on with consumers,” the story reports.

"VOD is not a new technology. It’s been around over 10 years," said Dounia Turrill, senior vice president of insights at Nielsen. "But the big difference is, over the past year or so, it has really transformed significantly."

“Turrill said the on-demand viewing technology has gotten easier to use and that, coupled with broadcast and cable networks now more willing to offer episodes of current TV shows on the platform, is making VOD more customer-friendly," the Times reports. "Cable and satellite subscribers are now no longer out of luck if they forgot to record a show with their digital video recorder. And many homes still don’t have a DVR."

Said Turrill: "DVRs are in 50% of households, which by definition means they’re not in 50% of households. VOD platforms … provide the ability to time-shift to homes that don’t have the equipment. So, I think that’s a very big development."