A deal between Microsoft and cable providers is "imminent," according to unconfirmed report.

There’s already a wealth of options available for using your Xbox 360 in non-gaming capacities, but could it soon replace your cable box, too?

Digiday reports that deals between Microsoft and cable television providers Comcast and Verizon is close to happening, allowing 360 owners to subscribe to Comcast or Verizon’s Fios TV services through their consoles, and without the need for a set-top cable box.

While the report is entirely unconfirmed at this point and remains firmly in rumor territory, the digital media site indicates that anonymous industry sources have called the deals “imminent.”

Both Verizon and Comcast declined to comment on the story, though a Microsoft representative said of the report, “As we announced at E3, we are committed to bringing TV entertainment to Xbox around the world through partnerships with industry leading operator and content partners. We look forward to sharing more partner news in the near future, but we have nothing to announce at this time.”

Given the online capabilities of the Xbox 360, it’s likely that a deal with cable companies could also provide unique new services available to 360 owners and targeted to the gaming audience.

Showing 15 comments

  1. Marc Borland at 2:06pm 20th September 2011 so, where di my comment go?
  2. Marc Borland at 2:06pm 20th September 2011 Don't know much about FIOS, but for Comcast, or any traditional cableco you're gonna need a tuner, which at last check, Xbox has zero. Veracity of this article also at aforementioned zero.
    1. jesterking at 7:40am 21st September 2011 It's software... You wont need a cable card if all the programing is ondemand streaming to the system. All a cable card is, really, is a modem/nic for your cable box. If the xbox has a firmware update with a comcast/fios/etc. streaming software in it, you can theoretically cut your TV from your bills. Of course you would need your cable(internet) to stay on.
  3. Chris Benham at 6:09pm 20th September 2011 I'd be all over it if it would free me from the cable companies tier system and let me subscribe to just the channels I want.
  4. Brewsees at 5:09pm 20th September 2011 It did as far as we don't have cable anymore
  5. Daron Gildow at 4:43pm 20th September 2011 Not until the isp's can actually deliver the speed they are claiming. Netflix has been studying each of the isp's and reported back that none of the isp's can stream tv/movies at 1080p. So until things get better on all fronts I will keep the box.
  6. jesterking at 9:32am 20th September 2011 Why no PS3 love?
    1. Daniel van Alstyne at 5:15pm 20th September 2011 Because nobody likes the PS3, or Sony for that matter..
      1. Ian Bell at 6:03pm 20th September 2011 Hey be nice! I love my PS3 (and Xbox). :)
      2. Rick Marshall at 5:03am 21st September 2011 I love my PS3! (And my 360, and my Wii, and my PSP...)
      3. jesterking at 7:42am 21st September 2011 Boooooooooooooooooo my ps3 is winrar awesome! i don't have an xbox... though I might get one... still debating on that point.
  7. Amber Snider at 4:19pm 20th September 2011 Mine did.. but than I don't watch a lot of TV
  8. Lorne Hammond at 4:00pm 20th September 2011 No.. I ditched cable 3 years ago... who'd want a 360 anyways, 6 year old technology.
  9. Bobby Cabiles at 3:36pm 20th September 2011 I hope so
  10. Tonio Johnson at 3:21pm 20th September 2011 If it's a nice enough deal it may just make me go get another 360.
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