Ofcom to spell the doom of Pay TV

The one of the longest running consultation in UK media is set to end after Ofcom announced that they will publish their report on Pay TV review later this month. It has taken Ofcom more than three years with detailed analysis which might reduce the BSkyB’s monopoly on premium sports and movies. It will lead to emerging of new players into the market which is held by SKY. Many competitors could then challenge Sky in pay-TV market which might lead to lowering of prices of Premier League football for consumers.
Basically Ofcom is trying to force Sky to offer premium sport and movies channels to competitors at a regulated rate. This would allow competitors to design their own pay-TV services. BT and Talk Talk are few companies which could benefit due to this. 

 Many from the industry say that whole issue would end up in courts as price decided by Ofcom for competitors won’t be acceptable to Sky. According to Sky principal shareholder Rupert Murdoch, the premium sports and movies channels were that made BSkyB Satellite a huge success. So if these premium sports and movies content are made available to competitors at a very low rate, it could very well threaten Sky dominance.

The whole issue has political tone too. The conservative government won’t be supportive of Ofcom. Economic wise too it going to affect, especially premier league whose major income comes from Sky exclusive right to broadcast football matches. In the end, consumers are going to benefit if these prices of premium channels go down.

Ofcom to spell the doom of Pay TV

After ITV-Virgin Media, the trend continues with Sony-BT Vision

Now it would be possible for BT subscribers to watch digital TV channels of Sony TV. BT announced that these new Sony digital channels have been added to BT Vision service, which is BT’s digital TV service. BT offers consumers various services such as home phone service, broadband service and digital TV service, had has attractive packages for users.

BT recently signed a deal of Sony which has led to BT adding two Sony channels, Sony Entertainment Television and Sony Retro to their BT’s digital service, BT Vision. These two channels from Sony are very popular amongst the TV viewers. Sony Entertainment Television Channel airs popular US shows like The Tudors, The Shield and Damages. While the Sony Retro as the channel name says air classic shows like Charlie’s Angels and Starsky and Hutch.

BT’s Retail TV and online division’s chief executive Marc Watson said the company is very happy to add these popular channels to BT Vision Digital TV services which will strengthen the BT’s Digital TV. He also said that these popular channels from Sony would offer more fantastic viewing to BT Vision Digital TV subscribers.

The adding of new Sony channels has come after BT announced the launch of new set top box for subscribers. The new set top box for BT’s Vision is more improved and energy efficient. BT said that the new Vision+ system in the new set top box will consume 12% less energy when used compared to older set top boxes from BT.    

After ITV-Virgin Media, the trend continues with Sony-BT Vision

Digital switchover finally sees the light of the day in Western Regions.

Years of viewing TV under analogue mode, people from western part of England will finally switch to digital mode to watch TV. All the residents in western part of England are looking forward to digital TV which will offer them more channels with better video and audio quality compared to analogue mode of TV of they have been using in past.

BBC2 analogue channel has been already switched off forever in many regions like Somerset, Dorset, Bristol and Gloucestershire as digital signals were introduced in those areas with help of more than 60 digital transmitters.

People who are using set top boxes from Freeview and BT Vision will have to retune or reinstall their set top boxes so that the new changes are reflected in their connections too. The switchover to digital mode in the western part of England should be done by 1st week of April.

Digital UK’s regional manager for the south west said that digital TV is going to change the TV viewing experience for people in the Western England as many households there would be getting view few channels for the very first time. He said people shouldn’t worry about the switchover and if they have doubts and queries during the switchover period, they should contact Digital TV or they can sign up for the Help Scheme if they meet the eligibility requirements for the scheme.

Digital UK has completed with digital switchover in the areas of west and central Wales earlier this month and also finishing with switchover at Blaenplywf transmitter group too.   

Digital switchover finally sees the light of the day in Western Regions.