Time Warner Cable Offers Slingbox to Wideband Customers

Time Warner Cable plans to allow its customers subsidized prices on purchases of the Slingbox, which will allow Time Warner Cable users to watch their paid-for video on any broadband connection at a remote location. The Slingbox is priced at $300 but will be available to the subscribers of Time Warner Cable who buy the $99 a month "Wideband" service plan essentially for free, as Time Warner will offer a $300 rebate to customers who buy the Slingbox units. Time Warner Cable Offers Slingbox

The move is part of the growing conflict between content owners and video distributors about what rights are conferred to cable operators as distributors. Time Warner says its current contracts allow it to provide streaming access. Content providers want to be paid extra for such capabilities. The Slingbox capability is one way of giving subscribers remote access on Internet-connected devices while side-stepping such contractual disputes.