Despite scrapping an exclusive video-on-demand arrangement with Blockbuster
Inc., Enron Broadband Services has again sought allies to drive its overall
on-demand entertainment strategy.
This time, Enron Broadband Services Content Systems LLC, a division of Enron
Broadband Services, has cut a 'long-term' deal with online retailer EBWorld.com Inc. and Into
Networks Inc. to offer software-on-demand (SoD) services via the Web.
Under terms of the agreement, Into will license its proprietary streaming
software to Electronics Boutique, an EBWorld.com parent that operates 740 retail
locations. Enron, meanwhile, will provide Into with the operational elements
necessary to offer SoD. Electronics Boutique, which will handle the service's
marketing and customer-service components, will launch the product June 1.
The trio declined to divulge financial terms or the length of the deal.
Cable has a definitive jump-start on EBWorld's homegrown SoD service. Into
and its rival, Media Station Inc., have deployments secured with a growing list
of service providers and MSOs such as Excite@Home Corp., Road Runner, Cox
Communications Inc., AT&T Broadband, Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable and
Sprint Corp., among others.
