Aereo’s victory in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit could be good news for AT&T. The startup has reportedly talked to AT&T, Dish Networks and others about partnering to deliver broadcast TV signals to mobile devices.
Aereo has created thousands of tiny TV antennas that are no bigger than a fingertip, and for $1.00 a day users in New York City can rent a connection to stream and record broadcast TV to their mobile devices and personal computers. TV broadcasters have been suing Aereo, claiming copyright infringement, but the court says that Aereo’s technology is basically like a DVR from the user’s perspective, and therefore does not break the law.
On its website, Aereo points out that users may incur data fees from their carrier in addition to the fees they pay Aereo. A partnership with a carrier would make a lot of sense for the startup, and for AT&T a service like Aereo’s would be an entre into video delivery services. AT&T is pushing hard into video with its U-Verse service for wireline customers, but has not yet announced a major wireless video initiative.
In addition to its dollar-a-day fee Aereo also offers a monthly service for $8.00. As of now, the only compatible mobile devices listed on its website are the iPhone and the iPad. So far, Aereo is only available in New York City, but the company says it will roll out in 22 more cities soon (see map.) The startup is backed by media mogul Barry Diller, former CEO of Paramount Pictures and Fox.
More below:
