Andre Yoskowitz
2 Jul 2008 16:23
Cablevision has announced that it will be giving subscribers access to another 15 free HD channels, making 60 channels available now to customers.
Beginning at the end of July, the cable operator will be adding Nickelodeon, WE tv, AMC, Animal Planet, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, FOX News Channel, Discovery Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel and FX.
Cablevision currently has 3 million subscribers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and says that 1.1 million of those have "at least one high-definition TV and HD-enabled set-top box."
The move is seen as an effort to fight off growing competition from satellite companies such as DIRECTV and DISH and more notably, Verizon's growing FiOS network.
Analysts have long said that customers are under the impression that satellite TV offers more and better HD quality services than cable, but that is not entirely correct. Although the satellite companies do offer more HD channels, the quality is equal to that of cable. DIRECTV currently offers 95 HD channels and DISH offers 80. FiOS offers 30 but says 30 more are coming by the end of September.