When your mission is to change a broken industry, you leave no stone un-turned. That includes changing the boring old design of the Set-Top Box into something cool enough that design blogs are writing about.
From: CoolHunting.com
Layer3 TV Launches Cablebox Designed by BMW Designworks.
The first new cable company in over a decade puts user experience first.
Layer3 TV is a new US cable company with service available in Chicago, Washington D.C. and Longmont, CO with Los Angeles coming online soon. Shown here is an exclusive look at their new set-top box designed by BMW Group subsidiary Designworks. "We believe design should be at the center of everything we do and it starts with the box," CEO Jeff Binder tells us about the collaboration. "We had the luxury of designing this box from scratch and don’t have any legacy," he continues. Lacking legacy is a bigger theme of why Layer3 see opportunity for a new cable company.
There's clearly room to reinvent a business model when starting from scratch, but why create a new cable company when so many consumers are looking to internet-based solutions like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu for TV content? "Who says it’s the age of cord cutting? There has been a lot of talk about it but really the numbers don’t show cord cutting," Binder points out. And if design experience is at the center of their proposition it does make sense given the higher reliability of cable and significantly higher volume of content programming.
The Layer3 Gateway box is available in a range of colors to fit in with the customer's home decor and includes both WiFi and DVR services, as is standard for most boxes these days. It features a full color screen that displays relevant information, including the show you're watching—not just the channel. And customers only need one main box because adding additional rooms to the system is handled through smaller satellite boxes that connect wirelessly to the hub. Not only is Layer3's set-top box thoughtfully designed, so is the system's user interface. Unlike most legacy systems which have low res, minimally responsive graphics, Layer3's UI is full color, high resolution and promises to be fast and easy to navigate. Keep an eye on Layer3 TV for news about availability in more markets.
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About T-Mobile US, Inc.
As America's Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. Our advanced nationwide 4G LTE network delivers outstanding wireless experiences to 75.6 million customers who are unwilling to compromise on quality and value. Based in Bellevue, Washington, T-Mobile US provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile and MetroPCS. For more information, please visit https://www.t-mobile.com.
About Layer3 TV
Layer3 TV, Inc. is The New Cable®. Layer3 TV offers customers a revolutionary, intuitive interface that seamlessly integrates the best of cable TV, premium channels, streaming online video content, social media, and smart home devices. Founded in 2013, the company is backed by highly respected players in entertainment and private equity including Evolution Media (whose shareholders include TPG Growth, Creative Artists Agency, and Jeff Skoll/Participant Media), Paulson and Company, Inc., Altice, and North Bridge Venture Partners. To learn more follow Layer3 TV on Twitter and Facebook or visit layer3tv.com.