Last November TiVo and broadband provider WindStream announced a partnership which sounded like just another cross-marketing deal. WindStream would resell TiVo to their broadband customers, with the angle of touting TiVo’s broadband features, such as Amazon Unbox. Seemed fairly basic.
However, a new article in xchange Magazine makes it sound like TiVo and WindStream are working together on a new product:
While Windstream may not yet be a household name, it is quietly innovating with those that are, such as TiVo. The duo have been working on a user interface since last fall that, like TiVo’s much heralded efforts with Comcast and Cox Communications, draw heavily from the DVR maker’s software.
Windstream, however, is focusing on polishing the Internet video experience with the TiVo deal while cablecos are more focused on coming up with much better user interfaces for their digital TV services.
Working on a user interface? Drawing headily on TiVo’s software? That doesn’t sound like the description of a standard turn-key reseller arrangement. So, are they up to something more than just bundle sales of standard TiVo units? Or is this just a reporter over-reaching a bit? When announced WindStream said they planned to start marketing TiVo in the first half of 2008. If that time frame holds true I suppose we’ll find out fairly soon. Personally I think they’ll be reselling the standard TiVo boxes, perhaps with custom HME applications for any WindStream specific needs.
