Most people today want to watch TV and video content without being tied to a fixed program schedule and a home TV. So finds a recent study by Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert), adding that “in growing numbers, they‘re adopting a more flexible viewing experience that includes connected devices like smartphones, PCs, tablets and netbooks.”

But this isn’t just the same content on different devices, Alcatel-Lucent officials say, adding that people want “true multi-screen services that offer seamless access to the same content and quality of experience on any screen, anytime, anywhere.”

Modeling by Alcatel-Lucent officials projects that multi-screen services will accelerate revenue growth for service providers: “As a service provider, you don't need motivation to make the jump to multi-screen. You need solutions that enable you to attract and retain multi-screen subscribers, secure a central role in the multimedia value chain, and generate sustainable media revenue.”

Alcatel-Lucent’s Multimedia Strategy and multi-screen products, therefore, are enabled you let users adapt existing media platforms and extend media services to new screens, expose network assets to trusted partners and develop new media business models, address consumer demand for multi-screen services with true cross-screen relevance and scale media services to the mass market using a terminal agnostic approach.

Research by Alcatel-Lucent finds the world to be “ready for multi-screen. In a 2010 survey of the global youth market, 71 percent of respondents said they would use a multi-screen service; 65 percent would willingly pay for it. In addition, 64 percent of respondents would remain loyal to their current provider if it offered multi-screen services.”

Respondents were most interested in multi-screen time-shifting, program guide and PVR features, and supported payment through triple-play bundles and subscription premiums.

Multi-screen services are already reaching the market, and major media industry players – including content providers, broadcasters, advertisers and device vendors – are “vying for market share,” Alcatel-Lucent says, adding that with assets like existing media offerings, “multi-device reach and subscriber intelligence, network service providers are well positioned to capitalize.”