Internet TV firm breaks into Salt Lake market

SALT LAKE CITY — Los Angeles-based Sezmi, a television and video company, announced Thursday that it has expanded its reach to the Salt Lake City market.

Sezmi hopes to take advantage of the changing market for video by using Internet connections and excess local broadcast capacity to provide services at just $5 per month. For that, plus the one-time cost of a $150 DVR box, customers receive cable TV and movies, access to online video sites such as YouTube, personalized remote buttons and a program guide.

"The basis for the company is that the television industry is really changing. There's a lot of uncertainty and confusion," said Travis Parsons, Sezmi's senior director of business development. "In our case, it's a perfect opportunity to introduce a new service into customers' homes that really fills the gap in terms of what consumers want and what the market is out there and able to offer."

The DVR offered by the company holds up to 1,400 hours of programming. Expanded service costs about $20 per month.

The system will work with Internet connections such as those provided by Qwest, UTOPIA and Comcast. However, customers can only purchase the DVR by visiting BestBuy.com.

— Rebecca Palmer