Aereo plans 22-city expansion
January 9, 2013
Building on its successful 2012 launch in New York City, online television service Aereo has announced its expansion to 22 new US cities, and the closing of a $38 million Series B round of financing, led by IAC and Highland Capital Partners.
These 22 markets represent the first phase of Aereo’s planned nationwide expansion, which will be rolled out over the course of 2013, starting in the late spring: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham (AL), Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Madison (WI), Miami, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence (RI), Raleigh-Durham (NC), Salt Lake City, Tampa, and Washington D.C.
Consumers in these cities can request an invitation via Aereo.com. Each market will feature Aereo’s Try for Free feature, which allows consumers the ability to access Aereo’s technology to watch television for a continuous one-hour period each day, free of charge.
Aereo CEO, Chet Kanojia, made the announcement at the Citi Global Internet, Media and Telecommunications Conference at CES in Las Vegas.
“Aereo’s technology is simply one of the easiest, most convenient ways for consumers to access broadcast television,” said CEO and Founder Chet Kanojia. “We’ve been working hard to bring Aereo to consumers across the country and we’re excited to expand our reach to these 22 new cities. Consumers want and deserve choice. Watching television should be simple, convenient and rationally priced. Aereo’s technology provides exactly that: choice, flexibility and a first-class experience that every consumer deserves.”
Aereo is currently supported on iPad, iPhone, Chrome, IE9, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Apple TV, and Roku. No cable subscription is required to use Aereo and membership plans begin at $1/day, $8/month or $80/year, and all include a cloud-based DVR. Aereo recently partnered with Bloomberg TV, to add to its existing over-the-air service. Aereo’s technology enables consumers to access live broadcast television on compatible Internet connected devices, at home or on the go.
The service is the subject of ongoing legal action from broadcasters who claim it infringes their copyright.