Streaming Live TV Service Aereo Won't Accept New Customers In New York For The Super Bowl

Streaming TV startup Aereo is at full capacity for the Super Bowl this weekend, according to DSLReport.com's Karl Bode. Bode attempted to sign up for an antenna to watch the Superbowl but was told the company had reached full capacity and could no longer accept new customers.

Aereo purchases a tiny TV antenna for each customer and uses it to stream networks like CBS, ABC, Fox, and NBC over the Internet to PCs, tablet, and smartphones. It also lets customers record shows in a "virtual DVR" so they can stream them whenever they want. It costs $8 per month.

The company never specifically addressed when more capacity would be added but this does raise concerns about upcoming events like the 2014 Winter Olympics, especially since Aereo experienced a brief outage during the Golden Globes broadcast earlier this month.

Both these events are guaranteed to attract a record amount of viewers. In a statement to Business Insider, Aereo spokesperson Vivian Lam said:

"Yes, we had a temporary outage during the golden globes that affected a small group of NYC users for approximately and hour. The capacity issue is purely a function of us literally having sold out in New York. It's the result of being too successful, unfortunately. And keep in mind that we are adding capacity in all out markets while also building out new ones... And for a company our size (just over 100 people) it's a big task!"