Logo

Roundup on the DVR Rollout

Dec 1, 2003  •  Post A Comment

Here’s a quick roundup of where the top multiple system operators are in their digital video recorder deployments.
Time Warner is the most aggressive and began its DVR rollout in July 2002. Since then it has introduced DVR service in 30 of 31 markets and counted 250,000 DVR customers at the end of the third quarter. Time Warner gained 100,000 of those customers in the third quarter alone, leading experts to speculate that the operator will hit 400,000 by the end of 2003.
There is no additional cost to customers for the DVR set-top box; they continue to pay the same as they would for their digital set-top. The cost of the DVR service varies from market to market, ranging from $4.95 to $9.95.
Comcast is rolling out DVR service and has reached its markets of Albuquerque, N.M., Panama City, Fla., and portions of northern Virginia so far. The service should be available to all Comcast subscribers by the end of 2004.
Adelphia introduced its first DVR market in Buffalo, N.Y., in late October and plans to add five to six more large and small markets by the end of the year. The service is available for a monthly fee plus $7.95 to lease the equipment, Adelphia said.
Cablevision is looking into DVRs and may do trials sometime next year.
Cox plans to have DVR service available to about 35 percent of customers by the end of the year. The service is currently rolled out in Gainesville, Fla., and northern Virginia, with six more markets slated to go online by year-end. Cox charges a monthly service fee for DVRs.