Retailers Back Telewest’s Cable Interactive Service

Cable group Telewest Communications has added a further fifteen companies to its interactive TV service. Available from Spring on the group’s Active Digital platform (see Telewest Builds Interactive Service To Rival Open), the service now boasts a total of 29 partners providing content for its interactive outlets, and puts cable at the forefront of interactive retail services.

The new partners announced today include Argos, Bloomberg TV, British Airways, EMAP Online, Shop!, Eagle Star, Woolworths and yell.com. Managing director of Eagle Star, Ian Owen, said he viewed cable as as a key emerging channel in the e-commerce arena. “We firmly believe cable will eventually emerge as the winner of digital services and will provide a genuine portal for home interactive communications. Eagle Star was the first insurance company in the world to allow customers to actually buy their motor insurance online, and we’re now committed to expanding our internet expertise into the world of digital TV.”

Telewest’s broadband network allows it an advantage in the provision of interactive services over existing satellite and telephone-based products. Its current main rival is BSkyB-backed Open (see Interactive TV Launches In The UK), but Telewest is hoping that the greater bandwidth of the cable network will eventually allow it to outsmart its rival by incorporating video, stereo and animation in the service.

Chief executive of the group Tony Illsley said: “I am delighted to welcome these great brands to our forthcoming interactive TV service. We are receiving very positive feedback from our Active Digital customers and the addition of interactive TV to the product will further highlight the superior capacity, speed and interactivity of our broadband network.”

The service is expected to be launched by the end of March.

Telewest Communications: 01483 750 900