BT's TV service seen by year end - Techwatch Support Forums: Digital & Satellite TV, FTA, Cable, Computers, Mobile Phones, Apple and General Tech Forums

BGonaSTICK · 18-10-06, 12:04 PM

Britain's BT Group Plc may launch its keenly awaited television service, BT Vision, towards the end of the year and could initially decide against a "big bang" launch, analysts at research firm Ovum said on Tuesday.

The former UK telecoms monopoly had previously announced plans to launch BT Vision, a service combining a Freeview digital TV receiver with video on demand and catch-up television delivered over broadband, in autumn this year.

But the group has remained silent about the precise timing, prompting speculation that it was still ironing out technical challenges and has yet to complete deals with content providers.

London-based Ovum said BT may go in for a "soft" launch of BT Vision in the autumn, and follow with a full launch in spring next year.

A BT spokesman said the group was on course to launch the service this autumn, but declined to give a more precise timing. "Bear in mind, autumn runs until December 21," he said.

BT has signed content deals with Hollywood studios, record companies and documentary makers for the IPTV (Internet protocol TV) service, which is part of a strategy to tap new revenue streams to compensate for declining telephone-call revenues.

Ovum on Tuesday released research that forecast the number of IPTV subscribers reaching 5 million worldwide by the end of 2006 and 29.5 million in 2010.

In separate research on television delivered on mobile phones, Ovum said while trials in the UK and elsewhere in Europe had shown customers were interested in mobile TV, it was still not certain they would be willing to pay for the service.

It estimated the cost of setting up a mobile TV broadcast network based on DVB-H (digital video broadcast - handheld) technology at around 140 million euros ($175.5 million) in the UK and said an operator would need 1.7 million customers, each paying 10 euros a month, to achieve a return on the investment in around three years.

"This will be very hard to realise if several mobile broadcast networks are competing in the market and considering that user willingness to pay is still uncertain," said senior analyst Vincent Poulbere.

diapason · 18-10-06, 06:23 PM

December 21st is midwinter's day, the shortest day of the year!!

nanochickin · 19-10-06, 12:34 AM

Sounds similar to what TPS offer their customers in France. They offer services by Satellite, DTT, and IPTV. Should be interesting to see if BT does as well as their French counterparts with IPTV.

BGonaSTICK · 19-10-06, 09:45 AM

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18-10-06, 12:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Dodgy Geezer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 9,718 Thanks: 3 Thanked 166 Times in 60 Posts	BT's TV service seen by year end Britain's BT Group Plc may launch its keenly awaited television service, BT Vision, towards the end of the year and could initially decide against a "big bang" launch, analysts at research firm Ovum said on Tuesday. The former UK telecoms monopoly had previously announced plans to launch BT Vision, a service combining a Freeview digital TV receiver with video on demand and catch-up television delivered over broadband, in autumn this year. But the group has remained silent about the precise timing, prompting speculation that it was still ironing out technical challenges and has yet to complete deals with content providers. London-based Ovum said BT may go in for a "soft" launch of BT Vision in the autumn, and follow with a full launch in spring next year. A BT spokesman said the group was on course to launch the service this autumn, but declined to give a more precise timing. "Bear in mind, autumn runs until December 21," he said. BT has signed content deals with Hollywood studios, record companies and documentary makers for the IPTV (Internet protocol TV) service, which is part of a strategy to tap new revenue streams to compensate for declining telephone-call revenues. Ovum on Tuesday released research that forecast the number of IPTV subscribers reaching 5 million worldwide by the end of 2006 and 29.5 million in 2010. In separate research on television delivered on mobile phones, Ovum said while trials in the UK and elsewhere in Europe had shown customers were interested in mobile TV, it was still not certain they would be willing to pay for the service. It estimated the cost of setting up a mobile TV broadcast network based on DVB-H (digital video broadcast - handheld) technology at around 140 million euros ($175.5 million) in the UK and said an operator would need 1.7 million customers, each paying 10 euros a month, to achieve a return on the investment in around three years. "This will be very hard to realise if several mobile broadcast networks are competing in the market and considering that user willingness to pay is still uncertain," said senior analyst Vincent Poulbere. __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W

18-10-06, 06:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
diapason Resident Organgrinder Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Paisley, Scotland Posts: 526 Thanks: 11 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	Re: BT's TV service seen by year end December 21st is midwinter's day, the shortest day of the year!! __________________ An eight foot long diapason sounds bottom C Technomate 1000D Super, Two dishes receiving three satellites

19-10-06, 12:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
nanochickin Retired Mod & Sat Guru Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wolverhampton Posts: 3,825 Thanks: 46 Thanked 338 Times in 270 Posts	Re: BT's TV service seen by year end Sounds similar to what TPS offer their customers in France. They offer services by Satellite, DTT, and IPTV. Should be interesting to see if BT does as well as their French counterparts with IPTV. __________________ Sanity is nothing more than an excuse to be boring

19-10-06, 09:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Dodgy Geezer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 9,718 Thanks: 3 Thanked 166 Times in 60 Posts	Slingbox This is what you really need It works pretty well apparently. Don't fancy buying one? Subscribe to a hosted service! Check out _http://www.slingboxhosting.co.uk Read more about the slingbox here. I'm tempted, but then that's nothing new... :roflmao: __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W