We've frequently discussed how the TV industry (both phone and cable) is collectively working on an online video service that takes some existing content and puts it behind a paywall -- accessible only to users who have cable service. The idea has long been that this will stop users from cutting the cord and moving to competing Internet-based services, though there's been some bickering with broadcasters over compensation, and the idea seems to be a jumble of non-standards from one operator to the next.

Comcast is so far the first to launch their TV Everywhere effort, and opinions are mixed and content selection is severely limited. Right now, the service is offered as a free add-on to customers who already pay for cable service, though that could change according to a new study by the TDG Research Group. According to TDG, 60% of adult broadband users like the idea of TV Anywhere, and 35% are willing to pay for it:The problem is, people are already annoyed with the amount they pay for TV programs and hundreds of channels they don't watch. Charging people more money in the face of Internet video alternatives seems to ignore the fact that Internet video will (though it will take a long time) be a compelling alternative to these high prices. Ultimately cable operators could offer standalone subscription Internet video services that might be popular, but every indication is that executives find such a concept repugnant and cannibalizing.

TV operators continue to operate in a bubble where they believe their current, ridiculously-expensive TV pricing model will be around forever simply because they spent billions on infrastructure. The paywalled, uninteresting TV Anywhere solutions we're seeing are a direct reflection of that over confidence. That's good news for any company out there working on an Internet video alternative aimed at rattling the foundation of the over-priced and inflexible subscription TV ecosystem.