The Next Great Thing ’In Car TV’
[I]AT&T and others Betting it Catches On[/I]If youve ever flown Jet Blue, then you likely know what this is all about, a television set in the backrest of a seat that delivers multiple channels to entertain the passengers. AT&T (Cruisecast), Sirius XM (three-channel TV) and Direct TV (TracVision) are the players in this service and working hard to get the manufacturers to offer the system as a premium option.
The system works via a three-pound, disc-shaped antenna secured by a magnetic mount that connects to a receiver underneath the backseat. From there, the passenger can watch live television and flip through 22 TV channels including anything from Adult Swim Mobile to CNN mobile and 20 satellite radio stations.
AT&T charges $1,299 for the equipment and then a monthly subscription fee of $28. Sirius XM charges $299 and $6.99 per month. Direct TV cost $3,000 plus a variable subscription fee.
Analysts believe consumer appetite for in-car TV service is about five years away when technology advances will drive prices down.
So far, only 1,000 subscribers have signed on with AT&T, though Avis has agreed to install CruiseCast in its rental cars in selective areas of Florida.
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