Tweet
Freesat may go to PPV?
Freesat is considering a move to expand by moving into pay television and offering users the chance to subscribe to Sky Sports 1 and 2. It is debating the option that has come available as result of the reduction in wholesale prices forced on BSkyB by Ofcom.
Emma Scott, managing director said: "We are looking at pay television. There is a lot of discussion around the Freesat and pay television issues taking place at board level. We haven't taken a final decision." Having seen BT Vision’s moves to market the sports channels Scott says "My personal view is that it would be odd for Freesat not to offer the option as well." Unbundled pay television could be "nirvana for some consumers", Scott said, as "not everyone wants to subscribe to the full pay package".
In order to offer pay-TV services, however, Freesat would require the approval of the BBC Trust, and, of course, there may be a few problems with the brand name.
Freesat, launched by the BBC and ITV as a joint venture in May 2008, has built a customer base of 1.25 million, ahead of expectations, and is projected to reach 2 million by the end of switchover in 2012. It offers more than 150 channels, high definition and access to the BBC iPlayer. More than half its customers are former Sky homes, followed by Freeview homes upgrading, with the majority opting for HD boxes.
Freesat is considering a move to expand by moving into pay television and offering users the chance to subscribe to Sky Sports 1 and 2. It is debating the option that has come available as result of the reduction in wholesale prices forced on BSkyB by Ofcom.
Emma Scott, managing director said: "We are looking at pay television. There is a lot of discussion around the Freesat and pay television issues taking place at board level. We haven't taken a final decision." Having seen BT Vision’s moves to market the sports channels Scott says "My personal view is that it would be odd for Freesat not to offer the option as well." Unbundled pay television could be "nirvana for some consumers", Scott said, as "not everyone wants to subscribe to the full pay package".
In order to offer pay-TV services, however, Freesat would require the approval of the BBC Trust, and, of course, there may be a few problems with the brand name.
Freesat, launched by the BBC and ITV as a joint venture in May 2008, has built a customer base of 1.25 million, ahead of expectations, and is projected to reach 2 million by the end of switchover in 2012. It offers more than 150 channels, high definition and access to the BBC iPlayer. More than half its customers are former Sky homes, followed by Freeview homes upgrading, with the majority opting for HD boxes.