TiVo On Comcast Delayed Yet Again

Comcast's seemingly never-ending delays in getting TiVo service to its customers continued Tuesday, as the company admitted it was behind schedule in rolling out service to customers.

Since the announcement that the two companies had partnered to offer DVR software to Comcast subscribers in March 2005, the release date has been repeatedly delayed. Often, little if any reason was given for the delays, although TiVo assured investors the service was on its way.

Now nearly a year-and-a-half late, TiVo is facing the prospect again of explaining to restless investors why Comcast is once again late to the party. In midday trading, the company's stock was already down over 1.5 percent after falling about 2 percent on Tuesday.

"We're waiting for word any time now that the first non-Comcast employee will begin to get the service," Reuters quoted CEO Tom Rogers as telling investors at a conference in New York, adding the rollout was "slightly behind schedule."

The cable operator had been beta testing the service internally, and originally planned to offer it in portions of Massachusetts and New Hampshire during the month of September.

Rogers apparently gave little reason as to why this latest delay had occurred.

Some investors may take consolation the fact that he also reported during the conference that its relationship with DirecTV is set to improve under that company's new leadership. Whether that heralds the return of set-top boxes for customers of DirecTV is not yet known.