All that promotion around catch-up services is seemingly paying off for service providers. Usage of TV Everywhere, or authenticated video viewing, reached 40 percent of U.S. pay TV consumers in 2015, up from 22 percent in 2013, according to Parks Associates. The research firm’s report Entertainment Habits on Connected CE Devices shows the percentage of respondents watching authenticated video at least once a month is 23 percent.

“Content providers have been extremely aggressive in promoting their authenticated catch-up services, which is helping create traction for authenticated TV Everywhere services in the digital entertainment household,” Glenn Hower, research analyst at Parks Associates, observes. “As usage increases, service providers and content companies alike will need to expand their big data capabilities, allowing them to create even more personalized services for their subscribers and viewers.”

Many operators have become more rigorous in their rollouts and advertising around TV Everywhere in an effort to help reduce cord cutting, but criticism has popped up from some users who thought it could be too difficult to set up. Cable operators have taken that on with their TV Everywhere site, which was launched in part simplify the process and to help subscribers get access on smartphones, tablets or laptops.