The folks in Boston could use some good news following the events of last week, and a sliver of some will arrive on May 15, when Aereo begins streaming live television in its second major U.S. market.
Aereo announced Tuesday that its controversial live television streaming service will spread its wings and fly from New York to Boston, where it will be available to 4.5 million consumers across three states.
Beginning that day, television viewers who have pre-registered on the company's website will receive a special invitation to join the service, which uses "groundbreaking" antenna technology to stream live television into homes.
By the end of May, Aereo will expand the offer to all eligible customers in the Boston market, which includes residents located in 16 counties encompassing Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.
TV meets cloud
After successfully launching in New York City last year, Aereo announced ambitious plans in January to expand to 22 additional markets.
Boston's designated market area currently offers 28 over-the-air broadcast channels, a mix of major networks, special interest and Spanish-language channels.
The streaming TV startup has found itself at odds with traditional broadcast networks including Fox and CBS, which have threatened to kill over-the-air broadcasts after losing the first round of legal action to shut down Aereo.
On Monday, Bloomberg reported that CBS has retaliated by acquiring an undisclosed stake in Syncbak, an Aereo competitor currently being tested by more than 100 stations, which uses authentication technology to stream local broadcasts.
Traditional cable companies are definitely feeling the heat from the new breeds of television viewing, and we only expect the battle to escalate as Aereo continues its push across the country.
