“OnDemand Online,” as it is tentatively called, will function like the cable-based OnDemand service, bringing network and cable shows, movies, and various other entertainments to Comcast subscribers for no additional cost.
OnDemand Online will have to function within the perimeters of Comcast’s 250GB bandwidth cap, and while that may not be a big deal to light to moderate Internet users, those moving a lot of material online could find their OnDemand service crippled.
It’s a smooth move for the cable provider, as more and more television content is making it online. One might think sites like Hulu and TV.com would be a loss for a cable company, so the wise solution is to offer content only watchable by current and future paid subscribers. Expect the library to be huge, too: because of Comcast’s advertising revenue and proliferation across the states, OnDemand Online will likely get many shows and movies unavailable to sites like Hulu.
Coincidentally, as Comcast enters the VOD market, Hulu has witnessed its viewership shrink due to content providers blocking it from Boxee and TV.com. Some theorize that companies like Comcast may be behind the white-out.