On March 15, Time Warner Cable launched a service in which linear programming is streamed to subscribers’ Apple iPad tablets for use within their homes. The service was an immediate hit, but encountered trouble on two counts. The first was copyright holders’ unhappiness with the way in which their content was used. On the technical side, the system was unable to immediately scale to the levels necessary support the number of people who wanted to sign on.

The situation should be food for thought for operators entering the exciting and potentially lucrative world of three-screen services. The bottom line is clear: The rewards of these offerings are great, but the technology and operations issues are complex. Continue reading →