Cable companies in the US have announced an ambitious pilot program that aims to convince their customers to pay for stuff they can get on the web for free.

Comcast and Time Warner have launched a service called TV Everywhere, Comcast and Time Warner which will give cable subscribers access to "premium" television content via broadband, and later mobile phone connections.

On the plus side it means that you can watch your existing subscription on new screens without paying additional fees or buying more hardware. But some of this stuff you can see for free on ad-supported sites like Hulu while paying only for the internet connection that delivers it.

If the pilot works Comcast and Time Warner expect the other television programmers, ISPs and mobile providers to join, giving all cable subscribers a way to watch the content they pay for on their televisions using any broadband-connected computer or authenticated mobile phone.

Jeff Bewkes, chairman and CEO of Time Warner admits that more than 92 percent of Americans qualify to watch this for free online.