More cable ops gain access to mobile device protection and trade-in programs

Hundreds of US cable operators now have access to device protection plans and device trade-in programs as they consider plans to add mobile services to their service repertoire.

Reach, a company that has forged mobile deals with several US cable operators, said it has teamed with Asurion to provide mobile device protection capabilities and trade-in programs to its partners.

Reach confirmed that the benefits of this new partnership will extend to its agreement with the National Content & Technology Cooperative (NCTC), an organization that cuts tech and programming deals for more than 700 small and midsized cable operators. The NCTC has developed a mobile option for its members based on its agreements with Reach and AT&T.

Early on, a handful of NCTC members have taken advantage of those agreements to launch (or prepare to launch) mobile services, including TDS, TVS Cable, Breezeline, Shurz Communications and Allo Communications.

The Reach-Asurion deal was revealed just ahead of The Independent Show, an event getting underway this week in Nashville that's hosted by NCTC and ACA Connects. At the show, NCTC plans to announce some new details about the mobile program that are designed to simplify and streamline how its members can get into the mobile game.

Related:Cable's wireless blitz picks up more steam

"Our objective is to launch a significant number of members between now and the end of the year," NCTC CEO Lou Borrelli told Light Reading in a recent interview.

Reach's new partnership with Asurion will help the company's partners "grow top-line revenue, deliver value to the end subscriber, and increase customer stickiness," Reach Founder and CEO Harjot Saluja said in a statement. "Instead of worrying about a technical integration, our clients can be out there selling these services and delighting their customers with a simple and sleek customer experience."

Mobile device protection extends into cable

Device protection plans are becoming a common part of cable's mobile arsenal.

Altice USA, which has its own MVNO deal with T-Mobile to underpin its Optimum Mobile service, recently added multiple tiers of device protection plans (starting at $7 per month) via a separate deal with Asurion and its uBreakiFix stores. Charter Communications, which has an MVNO pact with Verizon, has added a device protection plan that sells for a flat fee of $5 per month along with an "anytime" device upgrade program.

Reach confirmed that the device protection and trade-in services now available to NCTC members span across all types of devices, including Android and iOS devices. Reach confirmed that NCTC members can offer those plans at retail prices they see fit, but noted that Reach does provide suggested retail pricing.

Related:NCTC unveils 'Broadband TV,' aims to accelerate mobile program

Asurion expects deployments of the new programs to start later this summer, according to a statement from Rodney Schlosser, SVP of business development at Asurion.