Comcast is moving onto Netflix's turf.
The cable company is launching Xfinity Streampix, a new subscription video service that will allow its customer to view television shows and movies on demand. The catalogue titles will draw heavily on content deals with major studios and networks such as Warner Bros., Sony and Comcast's corporate cousin, Universal.
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The service, however, will only be available to current Comcast customers. It will be available to subscribers for an additional $4.99 a month, but Comcast subscribers signed up for a triple-play package of video, broadband and phone can get the service for free.
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Among the films being offered are "When Harry Met Sally," "Brokeback Mountain," and "Stuart Little," as well as television shows such as "Married With Children," "30 Rock," and "Lost."
The news comes on the heels of Netflix's announcement that it has signed a pact with The Weinstein Company to stream such films as "The Artist," "Sarah's Key" and "Coriolanus." Clearly, Comcast will have its work cut out for it matching that suite of titles, but it does boast a major studio partner in Universal and a lower price than Netflix.
Comcast subscribers will be able to watch movies online, on mobile devices or on their televisions, the company said.
In the coming year, the Streampix service will be available on additional devices such as Xbox 360 and Android-powered devices.