Broadband iTV, Inc. was an early player in the development of on-demand and interactive technology for the cable sector. The company began as an operating company in 2001 in Hawaii, which is known in the cable industry as one of the most innovative markets due to its being an island market removed from major US metropolitan markets. This has allowed it to become a natural technology test bed. BBiTV launched two critical, first-to-market development projects in the US. These included an interactive community channel enabling community members to communicate and interact among themselves, as well as to buy and sell goods and services and a Web platform allowing content producers, businesses, community organizations and individuals to publish video content directly to the television. BBiTV has also designed systems for television video personals, video greeting cards, talent contests and promotions, and music videos. These projects became the basis for the beginning of BBiTV’s patent portfolio.
In its time as an operating company, BBiTV launched PROMO! in partnership with Oceanic Time Warner Cable (now Charter), which was the nation’s first interactive cable channel featuring long form videos on local and national products and services in 2003. BBiTV continued its partnership with Oceanic Time Warner Cable and launched the “TVClassifieds” application in 2005. The company was also a consultant on other Oceanic Time Warner Cable applications in 2005 and 2006. BBiTV had an agreement beginning in 2004 with Hawaii’s daily newspaper, the Honolulu Star Bulletin, to list classified ads on digital interactive television.
BBiTV is a Texas company based in Austin.