Canada's Rogers Communications officially launched On Demand Online -- its "TV Everywhere" authentication site -- expanding the service 50% with more than 1,500 hours of video content as well as offering select live sports and events over the Web.
The MSO launched a beta version of the service in November 2009, with 1,000 hours of content from 17 broadcast and studio partners, including Canwest and Corus Entertainment. Rogers has since added content from 19 channels, including The Cineplex Channel; Shorts in the City; Saturday Night Live; urMusic; WildTV; Equator HD; Rush HD; The Filipino Channel (TFC); Oasis HD; andPOP; WFN: World Fishing Network; and Treasure HD.
In addition, the Rogers service -- available at www.rogersondemand.com -- now offers a registration-free sampling of content available to all Canadians including those who aren't Rogers customers. Full access to the site is available to any Rogers digital cable, wireless, home phone and high-speed Internet customers.
"Canadians are looking for their video entertainment needs to be met wherever and whenever they want and they want to share it," said David Purdy, Rogers' vice president of television and video product management. "Rogers On Demand Online enhances the customer experience by leveraging Rogers expertise in home entertainment and extending the best video experience online. Viewers benefit from a high quality, extremely convenient, robust, anytime, anywhere entertainment experience."
Other enhancements to Rogers On Demand Online: higher-resolution video; new community and social features including commenting capabilities; sharing options through Facebook and Twitter; and the ability to create playlists and rate videos.
Rogers is using Comcast's thePlatform online-video management division to run the On Demand Online service.
In the U.S., Comcast rolled out Fancast Xfinity TV in December, with about 2,000 hours of content, which the operator is still calling a beta test
