Sky to launch new service on digital terrestrial television

Press Release

Sky to launch new service on digital terrestrial television

Sky today announced that it is developing plans for the launch of a
subscription television service on digital terrestrial television (DTT)
this summer. The new service will allow customers to receive some of
Sky's most popular programmes - including sport and movies - through a
conventional rooftop aerial and a DTT box for a monthly subscription.

By bringing back some of the UK's most popular pay-TV content to the DTT
platform*, Sky aims to create more choice for customers who are
interested in upgrading from free-to-air to pay-TV. This represents an
attractive commercial opportunity, benefiting from existing investments
in programming and infrastructure, and attracting new customers to Sky
over and above current plans for the growth of Sky's satellite service.

The line-up of channels on the new service will offer a range of content
including sports, movies, entertainment and news. The sports service
will include live coverage from the Barclays Premiership and other top
events. Full details, including branding, pricing and the complete
channel line-up, will be revealed closer to launch.

The new service will make use of existing capacity that Sky currently
uses to broadcast Sky Three, Sky News and Sky Sports News. As a result,
these channels will cease to be available free-to-air via DTT in advance
of the launch of the pay-TV service.

Sky plans to broadcast its pay-TV channels on DTT using the more
efficient MPEG4 compression technology, bringing innovation to the
platform and enabling
Sky to offer four 24-hour video streams in place of the three Sky
channels currently available, with further improvements expected in
future. The pay-TV service will use a highly secure conditional access
(CA) system similar to the one that Sky uses for its satellite
television service.

To access the service, customers will buy a new set-top box that
includes the relevant CA software and MPEG4 decoder. It is anticipated
that once the service launches multiple manufacturers will have the
opportunity to produce compatible set-top-boxes and other DTT receivers.

The launch of the new service is subject to approval by Ofcom of the
necessary variations to licences held by Sky and National Grid Wireless,
which provides DTT transmission and multiplexing services to Sky.

Mike Darcey, Sky's Chief Operating Officer, said: "We look forward to
bringing some of Sky's most popular content to digital terrestrial
viewers. This will give families more choice and increase the
availability of leading content and channel brands."

-end-

Notes
* A selection of Sky's basic and premium pay TV content, including live
Premiership football, were available on DTT from 1998 to 2002.


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"{{{{{Welcome}}}}}" wrote in message
k...
Press Release

Sky to launch new service on digital terrestrial television

Sky today announced that it is developing plans for the launch of a
subscription television service on digital terrestrial television (DTT)
this summer. The new service will allow customers to receive some of Sky's
most popular programmes - including sport and movies - through a
conventional rooftop aerial and a DTT box for a monthly subscription.

By bringing back some of the UK's most popular pay-TV content to the DTT
platform*, Sky aims to create more choice for customers who are interested
in upgrading from free-to-air to pay-TV. This represents an attractive
commercial opportunity, benefiting from existing investments in
programming and infrastructure, and attracting new customers to Sky over
and above current plans for the growth of Sky's satellite service.

The line-up of channels on the new service will offer a range of content
including sports, movies, entertainment and news. The sports service will
include live coverage from the Barclays Premiership and other top events.
Full details, including branding, pricing and the complete channel
line-up, will be revealed closer to launch.

The new service will make use of existing capacity that Sky currently uses
to broadcast Sky Three, Sky News and Sky Sports News. As a result, these
channels will cease to be available free-to-air via DTT in advance of the
launch of the pay-TV service.

Sky plans to broadcast its pay-TV channels on DTT using the more efficient
MPEG4 compression technology, bringing innovation to the platform and
enabling
Sky to offer four 24-hour video streams in place of the three Sky channels
currently available, with further improvements expected in future. The
pay-TV service will use a highly secure conditional access (CA) system
similar to the one that Sky uses for its satellite television service.

To access the service, customers will buy a new set-top box that includes
the relevant CA software and MPEG4 decoder. It is anticipated that once
the service launches multiple manufacturers will have the opportunity to
produce compatible set-top-boxes and other DTT receivers.

The launch of the new service is subject to approval by Ofcom of the
necessary variations to licences held by Sky and National Grid Wireless,
which provides DTT transmission and multiplexing services to Sky.

Mike Darcey, Sky's Chief Operating Officer, said: "We look forward to
bringing some of Sky's most popular content to digital terrestrial
viewers. This will give families more choice and increase the availability
of leading content and channel brands."

-end-

Notes
* A selection of Sky's basic and premium pay TV content, including live
Premiership football, were available on DTT from 1998 to 2002.


http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....773&highlight=


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Mobile Offers: www.southeastbirmingham.co.uk/mob
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It's Deja-vu with ITV Digital. Would someone seriously pay for a new MPEG4
box, and a monthy subscription for Sky DTT?

"{{{{{Welcome}}}}}" wrote in message
k...
Press Release

Sky to launch new service on digital terrestrial television



Nice little spolier for Virgin's big launch today. I guess Sky will get as
much of the headlines in the press tomorrow now.

Norman

Norman wrote:

"{{{{{Welcome}}}}}" wrote in message
k...
Press Release

Sky to launch new service on digital terrestrial television


Nice little spolier for Virgin's big launch today. I guess Sky will get as
much of the headlines in the press tomorrow now.

Norman

does it mention that the current sky channels which are free will be
dropped though? Haven't read this stuff as I am fed up (being a BY
customer) with loads of crap about Virgin and Dickhead.

--
Paul (Need a lift she said much obliged)
-------------------------------------------------------
Stop and Look
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"{{{{{Welcome}}}}}" wrote in message
k...
Press Release

Sky to launch new service on digital terrestrial television

Sky today announced that it is developing plans for the launch of a
subscription television service on digital terrestrial television (DTT)
this summer. The new service will allow customers to receive some of Sky's
most popular programmes - including sport and movies - through a
conventional rooftop aerial and a DTT box for a monthly subscription.

However Sky Three, Sky News & Sky Sports News will disappear from Freeview
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitalt...t-service.html
I shall miss Sky Three :-o(
Regards Mike.

On Thu, 8 Feb 2007 16:07:44 -0000, "ABC"
wrote:


It's Deja-vu with ITV Digital. Would someone seriously pay for a new MPEG4
box, and a monthy subscription for Sky DTT?

$ky need to think very carefully of these plans. They obviously wont
wish to upset its satellite base by offering a cheper deal, but OTOH,
no one is going to buy a new box and subscribe to fewer channels
unless its a good deal.

Personally, I currently have freeview - but also the basic $ky
package. I have no interest in old films (or PPV for old films!!), or
the sports channels (when I can get more footie on satellite without
subscription anyway.)

So Im left with sky1,2,3 and the kids cartoons. Those are all I pay
the subs for.

If this DTT package includes those and is cheaper, then I may be
interested. If not, I wont.

One thing that surprises me with this Virgin launch is its cost! Who
in their right mind is going to shell out £85 or £105 per month!
Granted, that also includes mobile - but given the prices you can get
(especially with cashback), again, who would shell out that kind of
money?

I've often wondered what the love affair the UK has with Branson. To
me he has always been overpriced in everything he's done. This appears
to be no exception!

Hang on Mpeg4 well that means HD capabilities if they don't use HD
then it will be a flop, liker ITV digital all over again

"amstereofan" wrote in message
ps.com...
Hang on Mpeg4 well that means HD capabilities if they don't use HD
then it will be a flop, liker ITV digital all over again

Could be a little scam brewing by sky?

Get a good DTT base going,Sell it for millions then Sky release the hack to
the viewing card on some Israli website like they did to ITV D and buy it
back again when it's almost broke for pence!

Nice thinking Murdy but I'm way ahead of you :-))

The Wizard wrote:
"amstereofan" wrote in message
ps.com...
Hang on Mpeg4 well that means HD capabilities if they don't use HD
then it will be a flop, liker ITV digital all over again

Could be a little scam brewing by sky?

Get a good DTT base going,Sell it for millions then Sky release the hack
to
the viewing card on some Israli website like they did to ITV D and buy it
back again when it's almost broke for pence!

Nice thinking Murdy but I'm way ahead of you :-))

ITVDigital have only themselves to blame for putting so much faith in a
system so insecure. Why hasnt sky been hacked yet??? (clue. Sky know how to
make money, and werent some flabby monopolist tv provider, who had had a
license to print money for nearly thirty years... ITV wouldnt have known a
business transaction if it bit them on the arse)

Gaz

On Sat, 10 Feb 2007 13:30:06 -0000, "Gaz" wrote:

The Wizard wrote:
"amstereofan" wrote in message
ps.com...
Hang on Mpeg4 well that means HD capabilities if they don't use HD
then it will be a flop, liker ITV digital all over again

Could be a little scam brewing by sky?

Get a good DTT base going,Sell it for millions then Sky release the hack
to
the viewing card on some Israli website like they did to ITV D and buy it
back again when it's almost broke for pence!

Nice thinking Murdy but I'm way ahead of you :-))

ITVDigital have only themselves to blame for putting so much faith in a
system so insecure. Why hasnt sky been hacked yet??? (clue. Sky know how to
make money, and werent some flabby monopolist tv provider, who had had a
license to print money for nearly thirty years... ITV wouldnt have known a
business transaction if it bit them on the arse)

Sky HAD been hacked, but they upped the encryption. The financial
strain of the rediculous footbfall deal they signed is what killed
them. If it wasnt for that, Im sure they would have created a more
secure system like freeview currently has. (Albeit hacked for Setana)