iWantTFC
{{short description|Philippine over-the-top content platform}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=December 2022}}
{{lowercase title}}
{{Infobox website
| name = iWantTFC
| logo = IWantTFC Wordmark Logo 2020.svg
| logo_caption = Logo used since 2020
| screenshot = IWant TFC homepage.png
| screenshot_size = 320px
| collapsible = Yes
| collapsetext = Screenshot
| caption = Screenshot of iWantTFC's website
| commercial = Yes
| former_name = {{Plainlist|
- ABS-CBNnow! ({{Date|2003}}-{{Date|2010|01|08}})
- iWant TV ({{Date|2010|01|08}}-{{Date|2018|11|16}})
- iWant ({{Date|2018|11|16}}-{{Date|2020|09|01}})
}}
| company_type = Subsidiary
| type = OTT platform
PPV
| foundation = {{start date and age|2003}}
| launched = {{start date and age|2003}}
| key_people = {{plainlist|
- Jaime Lopez (Head of ABS-CBN Digital Media)
- Linggit Tan-Marasigan (COS, CEO)
- Richard Reynante (CCO)
- Andrew Favis (COO)
}}
| area_served = Worldwide
| owner = ABS-CBN Corporation
| industry = Tech and Entertainment, Mass Media
| products = {{flatlist|
- Streaming media
- video on demand
}}
| services = {{flatlist|
- Film production
- film distribution
- television production
- television distribution
}}
| parent = ABS-CBN Digital Media
| url = {{URL|iwanttfc.com}}
| registration = Optional; subscription required if needed for no advertisements.
| users = {{increase}} 11.3 million (January 2019){{cite news |title=ABS-CBN's iWant starts 2019 with 11.3 million subscribers |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/17/19/abs-cbns-iwanttv-starts-2019-with-113-million-subscribers |date=January 17, 2019 |access-date=September 16, 2020 |work=ABS-CBN News}}
| current_status = Active
| language = English
| language_footnote = {{efn|name=website-language|The website interface is only in English. However, available media is mostly in Filipino with some content in English.}}
}}
iWantTFC (formerly known as iWant TV and iWant) is a Filipino over-the-top media service and production company owned and operated by ABS-CBN Digital Media, a division of ABS-CBN Corporation. It was formed in 2020 through the merger of two streaming services iWant and TFC Online. In addition to offering on-demand contents of ABS-CBN, iWantTFC also live streams linear channels including Kapamilya Channel, DZMM TeleRadyo, ANC and Knowledge Channel.
The service is available worldwide, primarily catering to Filipino audiences.{{cite news |title=ABS-CBN to launch new streaming service iWant |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/04/18/abs-cbn-to-launch-new-iwant-tv-streaming-service |date=October 4, 2018 |access-date=September 16, 2020 |work=ABS-CBN News}} It is also the replacement for Sky On Demand of Sky Cable since September 1, 2020.
History
=ABS-CBNnow! (2003–2010)=
iWantTFC traced its origins and was first launched in 2003 as ABS-CBNnow!, a service primarily focusing to the OFWs where they can watch ABS-CBN local programs (such as TV Patrol, Morning Girls, MTB, Maalaala Mo Kaya, Wansapanataym, The Buzz, and Magandang Gabi... Bayan) anywhere in the world using a PC with high-speed Internet or broadband connection.{{cite book|title=Watch, listen to ABS-CBN on the Web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h1c1AAAAIBAJ&dq=ABS-CBN+now&pg=PA29&article_id=3401,28699741|author=Philippine Daily Inquirer|via=Google Books|page=29|date=May 13, 2004|access-date=July 25, 2023}} Users can stream directly or download files and are required to install Windows Media Player in order to view contents which are DRM protected. It is one of the first Filipino owned OTT platform. In October 2005, there were approximately 23,000 subscribers worldwide. The biggest share of its subscribers comes from the United States with 8,000, another 6,000 in the United Kingdom, 4,000 in Canada, and the other Asian countries.{{Cite web |date=2005-10-29 |title=ABS-CBN expects hefty profits from Internet TV |url=https://www.philstar.com/business/2005/10/29/304207/abs-cbn-expects-hefty-profits-internet-tv |access-date=2021-05-30 |website=Philstar.com}}
=iWant TV (2010–2018)=
From its launch until 2015, iWant TV had foreign contents from many pan-regional television channels including National Geographic, the Food Network, E!, CNN, and Cartoon Network. These particular contents are now diverted into a new service called Sky On Demand, which is exclusive to Sky subscribers. In August 2015, iWant TV introduced the film Must Date the Playboy, the first movie that was released exclusively through iWant TV and ABS-CBN Mobile service.{{cite news |last=Mendoza |first=Arvin |title=IN PHOTOS: Kim Chiu, Xian Lim star in 'Must Date the Playboy' |url=https://entertainment.inquirer.net/177738/in-photos-kim-chiu-xian-lim-star-in-must-date-the-playboy |work=Inquirer.net |date=September 2, 2017 |access-date=September 16, 2020}}
On September 26, 2016, a partnership with PLDT and its subsidiary Smart Communications was announced during a signing ceremony attended by Eugenio Lopez III (Chairman of ABS-CBN), Carlo L. Katigbak (President and CEO of ABS-CBN), Manny Pangilinan (Chairman of PLDT) and other executives of ABS-CBN, PLDT and Smart. The partnership would enable PLDT and Smart customers to access the iWant TV website and mobile apps.{{cite news |title=ABS-CBN partners with PLDT to offer iWant TV |url=http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Corporate&title=abs-cbn-partners-with-pldt-to-offer-iwant-tv&id=134000 |date=September 27, 2016 |access-date=September 16, 2020 |publisher=BusinessWorld Online |archive-date=November 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106222935/https://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Corporate&title=abs-cbn-partners-with-pldt-to-offer-iwant-tv&id=134000 |url-status=dead }}
=As iWant (2018–2020)=
On November 16, 2018, the service officially relaunched as iWant, which now emphasizes on adding original content similar to Netflix and Iflix.{{cite news |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/16/18/abs-cbns-iwant-goes-live-on-mobile-desktop-ahead-of-launch |title=ABS-CBN's IWant goes live on mobile, desktop ahead of launch |work=ABS-CBN News |date=November 16, 2018 |access-date=November 16, 2018}} It featured Spirits: Reawaken (a reboot of the original television series), Quezon's Game, and Alamat ng Ano.{{cite news |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/04/18/abs-cbn-to-launch-new-iwant-tv-streaming-service |title=ABS-CBN to launch new streaming service iWant |work=ABS-CBN News |date=October 4, 2018 |access-date=September 16, 2020}} Glorious and MA were the first two iWant original films.
=As iWantTFC (2020–2025)=
On September 1, 2020, iWant merged with TFC Online and was soft launched as iWantTFC. The service inherited the worldwide accessibility of TFC Online.{{cite news |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/08/24/20/iwant-to-merge-with-tfc-online |title=iWant to merge with TFC Online |work=ABS-CBN News |date=August 24, 2020 |access-date=August 24, 2020}} TFC IPTV and TFC Direct via cable and satellite subscribers have instant online access to iWantTFC with TFC Everywhere (TVE) feature.{{cite news |url=https://tfc.tv/article/details/19/get-the-convenience-of-watching-anytime-anywhere-with-tfc-everywhere |title=Get the convenience of watching anytime, anywhere with TFC Everywhere!|work=iWantTFC|access-date=September 30, 2020}} They also made iWantTFC's full library accessible for free for users in the Philippines.{{Cite web|date=2021-06-30|title=iWant TFC libre na para sa lahat ng users sa Pilipinas|url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/entertainment/06/30/21/iwant-tfc-libre-na-para-sa-lahat-ng-users-sa-pilipinas|access-date=2021-07-03|website=ABS-CBN News|language=tl}}{{Cite web|title=iWantTFC, libre na ang advance teleserye episodes, originals, at 1,000 movies sa Pilipinas|url=https://www.philstar.com/pilipino-star-ngayon/showbiz/2021/07/01/2109390/iwanttfc-libre-na-ang-advance-teleserye-episodes-originals-1000-movies-sa-pilipinas|access-date=2021-07-03|website=Philstar.com}}
On April 26, 2023, ABS-CBN announced a collaboration with GMA Network to stream the latter's international channels and local programs on iWantTFC starting May 1 for users outside of the Philippines.{{cite web|title=GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA News TV on iWantTFC in select regions starting May 1|url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/04/26/23/gma-pinoy-tv-gma-life-tv-and-gma-news-tv-on-iwanttfc-in-select-regions-starting-may-1|website=ABS-CBN News|access-date=April 26, 2023}}{{cite web|title=GMA to stream shows in ABS-CBN's iWantTFC|url=https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2023/04/26/2261801/gma-stream-shows-abs-cbns-iwanttfc|website=The Philippine Star|access-date=April 26, 2023}}
= Return to iWant branding (2025–present) =
In June 2025, iWantTFC will relaunch to its 2018 counterpart iWant with a new interface and features.{{Cite web |last=Corporation |first=ABS-CBN |title=iWant Originals serves up new coming-of-age sports dramedy "Love at First Spike" |url=https://corporate.abs-cbn.com/newsroom/news-releases/2025/4/10/love-at-first-spike-project-announcement?lang=en#:~:text=Directed%20by%20Ivan%20Andrew%20Payawal,and%20seamless%20access%20across%20devices. |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250421124124/https://corporate.abs-cbn.com/newsroom/news-releases/2025/4/10/love-at-first-spike-project-announcement?lang=en |archive-date=2025-04-21 |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=corporate.abs-cbn.com}}{{Cite news |last=Liwag |first=Yzabelle |date=May 5, 2025 |title=iWant to launch new face, features in June |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2025/5/5/iwant-to-launch-new-face-features-in-june-1517 |access-date=May 5, 2025 |work=ABS-CBN News}} ABS-CBN Corporate website stated that relaunch has now moved to July 2025 but a post from iWantTFC's twitter page on June 4, 2025 makes the launch back to the original which will be on June 12, 2025 for Smart TVs.{{Cite web |title="PBB Gen 11's" JM, Fyang to debut as loveteam in romantic supernatural series "Ghosting" {{!}} ABS-CBN Corporate |url=https://corporate.abs-cbn.com/amp/newsroom/news-releases/2025/5/20/jm-fyang-debut-as-loveteam-in-their-first-digi-ser?lang=en |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=ABS-CBN |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=June 6, 2025 |title=I know. Loading, ryt? 😅😆 We're loading something exciting for iWant! Malapit na! |url=https://x.com/iwanttfc/status/1930082077053202437 |access-date=June 4, 2025 |website=iWantTFC {{!}} X.com |language=Tagalog}} The full launch will be on July 10, 2025.{{Cite news |last=Krishnan |first=Ganiel |date=June 10, 2025 |title=iWant to unveil new look, streaming experience starting June 12 |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/2025/6/10/iwant-to-unveil-new-look-streaming-experience-starting-june-12-1605 |access-date=June 11, 2025 |work=ABS-CBN News}}
Content
{{Main|List of iWantTFC original programming}}
iWantTFC stores over 10,000 hours of content and programs, over 1,000 films and television series, and several live on-demand channels and video-on-demand. Most of its contents and films are produced by ABS-CBN Corporation's divisions including ABS-CBN Studios and ABS-CBN Films. In addition, there are over 20 original films and over 50 original series produced by iWantTFC.
The platform also provides live streams of several of ABS-CBN's broadcast properties, some operated by ABS-CBN's subsidiaries Creative Programs and ABS-CBN International. Kapamilya Channel, DZMM TeleRadyo, and Knowledge Channel are exclusively available in the Philippines; while The Filipino Channel, ANC Global, TeleRadyo Serbisyo Global, Cinema One Global, Cine Mo! Global, MOR Entertainment and Myx America (North America only) are available outside of the Philippines.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|iwanttfc.com}}
{{iWantTFC}}
{{ABS-CBN Corporation}}
{{Cable and satellite television provider in the Philippines}}
{{VOD services}}
Category:2003 establishments in the Philippines
Category:ABS-CBN Digital Media
Category:Internet properties established in 2003
Category:Internet television streaming services