 Logo used since 2020 | |
Screenshot  Screenshot of iWantTFC's website | |
| Formerly |
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|---|---|
| Type of business | Subsidiary |
Type of site | OTT platform PPV |
| Available in | English[a] |
| Founded | 2003; 22 years ago (2003) |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Owner | ABS-CBN Corporation |
| Key people |
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| Industry | Tech and Entertainment, Mass Media |
| Products |
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| Services |
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| Parent | ABS-CBN Digital Media |
| URL | iwanttfc |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Optional; subscription required if needed for no advertisements. |
| Users |  11.3 million(January 2019)[1] |
| Launched | 2003; 22 years ago (2003) |
| Current status | Active |
iWantTFC (formerly known asiWant TV andiWant) is a Filipinoover-the-top media service andproduction company owned and operated byABS-CBN Digital Media, a division ofABS-CBN Corporation. It was formed in 2020 through the merger of two streaming services iWant and TFC Online. In addition to offeringon-demand contents ofABS-CBN, iWantTFC alsolive streams linear channels includingKapamilya Channel,TeleRadyo Serbisyo,ANC andKnowledge Channel.
The service is available worldwide, primarily catering toFilipino audiences.[2] It is also the replacement forSky On Demand ofSky Cable since September 1, 2020.
iWantTFC traced its origins and was first launched in 2003 asABS-CBNnow!, a service primarily focusing to theOFWs where they can watch ABS-CBN local programs (such asMTB,The Buzz, andMagandang Gabi... Bayan) anywhere in the world using aPC with high-speed Internet or broadband connection.[3] Users can stream directly or download files and are required to installWindows Media Player in order to view contents which areDRM 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.[4]
From its launch until 2015,iWant TV had foreign contents from many pan-regional television channels includingNational Geographic, theFood Network,E!,CNN, andCartoon Network. These particular contents are now diverted into a new service calledSky On Demand, which is exclusive toSky subscribers. In August 2015, iWant TV introduced the filmMust Date the Playboy, the first movie that was released exclusively through iWant TV andABS-CBN Mobile service.[5]
On September 26, 2016, a partnership withPLDT and its subsidiarySmart Communications was announced during a signing ceremony attended byEugenio 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.[6]
On November 16, 2018, the service officially relaunched asiWant, which now emphasizes on adding original content similar toNetflix andIflix.[7] It featuredSpirits: Reawaken (a reboot of theoriginal television series),Quezon's Game, andAlamat ng Ano.[8]Glorious andMA were the first two iWant original films.
On September 1, 2020, iWant merged withTFC Online and was soft launched asiWantTFC. The service inherited the worldwide accessibility of TFC Online.[9]TFC IPTV and TFC Direct via cable and satellite subscribers have instant online access to iWantTFC with TFC Everywhere (TVE) feature.[10] They also made iWantTFC's full library accessible for free for users in the Philippines.[11][12]
On April 26, 2023, ABS-CBN announced a collaboration withGMA Network to stream the latter's international channels and local programs on iWantTFC starting May 1 for users outside of the Philippines.[13][14]
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 byABS-CBN Corporation's divisions includingABS-CBN Studios andABS-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 subsidiariesCreative Programs andABS-CBN International.Kapamilya Channel,TeleRadyo Serbisyo (formerly known as DZMM TeleRadyo), andKnowledge Channel are exclusively available in the Philippines; whileThe Filipino Channel,ANC Global,TeleRadyo Serbisyo Global,Cinema One Global,Cine Mo! Global,MOR Entertainment andMyx America (North America only) are available outside of the Philippines.[citation needed]
