Telewest Boosts On Demand Content Fivefold
Telewest has expended the range of its fledgling on-demand service, Teleport, to offer customers access to complete TV series at the touch of a button.
The service bolsters the company’s existing on-demand programme portfolio, extending it from around 60 hours of content to over 300 hours, comprising shows from the National Geographic channel, Discovery, LIVINGtv, Bravo and the BBC.
The Teleport service began roll out earlier this month, with digital TV customers in Cheltenham and Gloucester the first to experience the new technology (see Telewest Completes First Phase Of On-Demand Roll Out).
The system works with existing telewest equipment, and is being launched on a region-by-region basis, offering free, subscription and pay-per-view content. Customers taking the company’s top (Supreme) digital TV pack will enjoy unlimited access toTeleport TV as part of their standard service, with other customers paying an optional £5 per month extra.
Eric Tveter, president and chief operating officer of Telewest Broadband, explained the attraction of on-demand services. He said: “Teleport TV is perfect for viewers wanting to watch an entire TV series at their own pace and when it suits them. Or for anyone wanting to indulge in a feast of their favourite programme over an evening or weekend.
“We’ve made on-demand access to TV series part of our top digital TV pack, which should prompt consumers to question the value and technical limitations of our competitors.”
The move by Telewest towards IPTV and true on-demand content apes that of London-based HomeChoice, which currently provides high-speed broadband, and a rich selection of film and TV content, as well as replays of previously aired broadcasts, to around 15,000 customers within the M25.
Cable rival ntl have also begun trialing an on-demand service, using high-quality MPEG4 encoding to provide high-definition content over a standard broadband connection (see New Technology Promises Higher Quality IPTV).
Telewest: 0845 142 0000 www.telewest.co.uk