Programming service Sezmi is expanding its service to 10 cities in nine additional markets--Boston; Detroit; Houston; Kansas City, Mo.; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Miami, Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; and San Francisco. Sezmi's set-top box offers a mix of local station and nationwide cable programming using off-air broadcast spectrum along with movies and other programs delivered over the Internet. The device includes a DVR that learns viewers' preferences and proactively downloads and records content they are likely to be interested in viewing. Sezmi has been available to the public in Los Angeles since February.
“We have seen great initial success in Los Angeles,” Sezmi Co-founder and CEO Buno Pati. “We have strong consumer interest and outstanding subscriber satisfaction. We have experienced an ongoing stream of requests for the product in other markets and are thrilled to start meeting this increasing demand now in more cities across the country.”
Ryan Lawler's article Sezmi Expands to New Markets--But Is Anyone Buying? on the NewTeeVee web site notes that the $4.89 per month Sezmi Select offering in the new markets will not include the cable content--Bravo, CNN, Comedy Central, MTV, TBS, USA and others--in the $10.99 Sezmi Select Plus package available in Los Angeles. These programs will not be available until Sezmi is able to obtain additional bandwidth from broadcasters in the new markets.
“While there’s a convergence component to Sezmi being able to blend broadcast and broadband content together, the startup will face some stiff competition on that front from products like TiVo DVRs and Google TV-enabled devices, which offer similar functionality,” Lawler said.
