Suddenlink to provide Netflix on TiVo devices

Company is Largest U.S. Cable Operator to Offer Netflix on Set-Top Box

ST. LOUIS — Suddenlink today announced an agreement that will give its customers access to Netflix, the world’s leading Internet television network, through the cable operator’s integrated TiVo set-top devices.

A provider of Internet, TV, and phone services with more than 1.4 million total customer relationships and nearly 1.2 million TV subscribers, Suddenlink is the largest U.S. cable operator, to date, to provide its customers seamless access to Netflix through the same set-top box they already use to watch television. Netflix offers a wide variety of commercial-free TV shows, movies, and original series.

“This agreement is a great example of how the cable industry can work with Internet content providers on innovative solutions that benefit consumers,” said Suddenlink Chairman and CEO Jerry Kent. “Importantly, we will be delivering Netflix to our customers with the superior quality of high-speed Internet connections that tend to be the fastest and highest-ranked in the communities we serve.”

In its ISP Speed Index, Netflix consistently rates Suddenlink among the top broadband providers for Netflix streaming during primetime. A recent PC Magazine customer survey showed Suddenlink’s Internet service ranked highest among providers in its markets.

“Suddenlink is making it even easier for their customers to watch Netflix on their TVs,” said Bill Holmes, head of business development at Netflix. “Suddenlink is an innovator, offering more choice and a great experience to its customers.”

Suddenlink’s new partnership with Netflix was enabled, in part, by its partnership with TiVo, announced in July 2010. Suddenlink was the first cable operator to begin offering TiVo digital video recorders (DVRs) integrated with Suddenlink’s on-demand library and leveraging TiVo’s best-in-class user interface, search and discovery functions.

“The intuitive user experience TiVo provides for our operator partners bridges the gap between linear television channels and over-the-top content to the great benefit of the content provider, the operator, and most of all the viewer,” said Tom Rogers, President and CEO of TiVo Inc. “TiVo gives cable operators the ability to have the best offering available for consumers, making over-the-top services like Netflix ‘friend not foe’ for our partners. This seamless integration tremendously enhances the overall viewing experience and we are pleased to be the enabling technology that brings Netflix into the set-top box.”

Suddenlink expects to make the Netflix app available through its TiVo devices this summer, eliminating the need for multiple devices, remote controls and inputs. At that time, Suddenlink will be the only major provider in its markets to offer customers a one-stop experience for searching, finding, and viewing on the large screen a range of popular video programming from Netflix, other Web sources, live TV, digital video recordings, and Suddenlink’s own on-demand library.