It appears that Layer3 TV’s field techs will be riding in style while also doing something positive for the environment.
Amplifying its policies around power savings and energy efficiency, Layer3 TV, the Denver-based “next generation” cable operator, confirmed that it has added the BMW i3, an electric-powered vehicle, to its service fleet.
Pictured is a BMW i3 outfitted with Layer3 TV’s branding that was parked late last week near the company’s new Denver headquarters. A spy on the street there passed the image along to Multichannel News.
Layer3 TV said the vehicle is the first installment of the company’s Field Operations Organization (FOO). It’s not clear how many BMW i3’s will eventually become part of Layer3 TV’s fleet, but an industry source indicated that there could be a larger engagement afoot between the emerging pay TV operator and the car maker. Layer3 TV isn’t commenting on its relationship with BMW.
According to BMW data on the i3, it was recognized as one of Kelley Blue Book’s ten top “Green Cars,” can travel 81 miles per charge, or up to 150 miles with a “range extender.” Per the car maker, buyers are eligible for a tax credit of up to $7,500. The baseline i3 carries a starting MSRP of $42,400, while the vehicle with the range extender starts at $46,250.
Layer3 TV’s selection of the BMW i3 factors into the company’s broader commitment to the environment and sustainability.
Company co-founder and CTO David Fellows recently joined the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers’ Energy 2020 initiative in the role of “chief scientist.” Fellows, a cable industry vet late of Comcast, AT&T Broadband and Scientific Atlanta, noted that the time that a goal of Layer3 TV is to be “the greenest cable company in the world.” Eric Kuhn, Layer3 TV’s head of marketing, meanwhile, is on the council of Earth Justice, a non-profit environmentally-focused law organization.
Details about Layer3 TV’s fleet vehicle selection comes as the company makes progress on the deployment front. It has launched, on schedule, limited user trials in several markets. Layer3 TV, however, has not identified the locations of those trials nor discussed in great detail its grander go-to-market strategy.
However, Layer3 TV, which has raised about $80 million via two rounds of funding, did drop some hints in a recent FCC filing indicating that it will operate as an MVPD. A Pace-made IP set-top for Layer3 TV has also passed through the FCC.
