Comments on: Google-Motorola can help cable companies conquer Internet TV

By: hlair

hlair — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:52:41 +0000

$70 Billion TV ad business has to be something of major interest to Google – I have found in past cable has had difficulty doing things outside their immediate area of expertise, it’s a matter of record – I’ve seen so many efforts to have in-house customer care and billing systems fail over past 50 years- mainly CSGS, Amdocs, and Convergys still carry the CC&B load.

As far as STBs – 80% – Motorola and Cisco (S/A), others have approx 20% minor players

Canoe Ventures has to be considered a failure so far. Strategy was to fight Internet search and social media using a flawed plan

Paul Allen / Charter made an attempt at STB business.

Google TV is struggling , and failing to gain tractions so far.

I can’t see cable figuring out social media and target marketing on their own.Have had 15 years to get something going with 1-1 target ads while Amazon, Google, eBay and others have long proven ad models that work. Google revenue is nearly 100% ad generated

The STB business is where Motorola dominates both in US and internationally – not in the phone business

The Comcast project Xcalibur still has the feel and smell of vaporware (or something similar to previous billing system attempts by MSO’s) – I could see Comcast attempting to use it to negotiate a deal with Google – which could be great — let Comcast do the TV and content part and let Google do the software – Cloud and social media – that would be a big win-win deal -

By: laurastammer

laurastammer — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 02:53:51 +0000

Google TV is a waste of money. You can watch online TV with other services like the TVDevo website . They offer several viewing options for worldwide TV and movies.

By: SeaWa

SeaWa — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:17:33 +0000

Another antitrust debacle from the technology sector unless Comcast is forced to allow us to use Non-google/Motorola set top cable boxes or Comcast is forced to open their cable infrastructure to competitors. If not, then Google is getting a direct “in” to controlling content to Comcast cable TV customers. I think they are an insidious company and we will regret this in the end.

Do you see that this puts Google in our living rooms via our access to Comcast, including all its subsidiaries? They will be involved in controlling our content. That’s in addition to being able to track us and collect our data on the web. They use the Microsoft business model. If you can’t make it, buy it, then run everyone else out of business.

By: personal_ensign

personal_ensign — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:34:49 +0000

One cable company, Virgin Media, has already succeeded in this arena with its Tivo partnership. Tivo makes the world’s greatest DVR and has already incorporated Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, and Spotify into its offerings. Not sure why Google would pay $12 billion for MMI when it could have scooped up Tivo for $2 billion. Perhaps Microsoft will be the smart one and buy Tivo. Goodness knows Mr. Softee needs something to get investors interested.