7 September
Tesco has entered the TV market via a tie-up with TV-over-broadband company Homechoice. The Tesco Digital Home service uses a Tesco-branded Homechoice set-top box and offers customers a package including broadband connection, free weekend calls and about 35 digital TV channels. The subscription package is being sold at Tesco's Brent Cross store in London, priced at £29.97 a month. As with the Homechoice service, Tesco Digital Home will initially only be available to viewers in London and Stevenage.
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadc...rch=homechoice

The link is blocked - interesting that the story is "1 month old" but Tesco don't appear to have done anything to publicise this.

£29.97/month would appear to be a £2 premium on the 2MB Big Pack, if I'm reading this correctly...

available through local tesco at brent cross, on demonstration using a large plasma tv
Last edited by johnnyrocker : 10-10-2006 at 15:57

The introduction of White Labelling could help boost the service. If HC/Tiscalli are keen to push this type of offering they may well need to stump up the cash to carry Sky One / Bravo / Go Interactive etc. as I can't see too many companies being overly keen if they can't offer a better package than Freeview.

I think thats what annoys me a little... I'd happily pay £2 or £3 more a month yo have the likes of Sky One... Bravo, etc.

My friends find it amazing when I say, yes, I have Sky Sports... yes, I have Sky Movies... no, I dont have Sky One and have to visit them to see things like The Match. I think they should at least offer Sky One via Sky by Wire...

That has always been my biggest gripe and is one of the reasons I am leaving HC! I want Sky one and I want all the Sky movies channels! I also want Bravo and Living!

With HC I just dont think they are ever going to come!

I notice there's an IPTV company in Ireland called Magnet and they offer Sky by Wire too. They offer four packages including all 10 Sky Movie channels. No Sky One amongst their line-up from what I can see.
(and they offer BBC channels in Poland somewhat bizzarely)
Last edited by tomesy : 10-10-2006 at 20:50

Sky decided that Sky One is their crown jewel and they want to keep it to themselves. Lets face it, unless you are a serious football fan, nothing else on Sky is unique.
I assume the agreement with NTL/Telewest predates this policy. But I don't think HC will ever get Sky One.

But I thought the whole idea of Sky by Wire was that we were dealing under a separate agreement with Sky so I really don't understand this.

I think the same applies to interactivity as well (AFAIK it's not available on Cable either). I'm surprised this hasn't been the subject of a restraint of trade investigation myself...

I agree... the crown jewels for Sky... and the model on which they built their business has always been Premium Sport and Movies. The fact that they offer that to Homechoice and not Sky One just seems bizzare to me - even under the premise of Sky by Wire.

or serious cricket fan as well!!!!!!!!!

I'd also say (based on your statement above)... what's the point of a decision like this... NTL/Telewest are by far the biggest competition in Pay TV... they already have Sky One, so by saying nobody else is allowed it... they're upsetting all of 50,000 odd customers on a service like Homechoice!! Pretty small fry in the great scheme of things and hardly worth it.

I don't understand it either. I read that a media anaylyst told Sky not to be scared of IPTV and simply take advantage of it. But from the bizzare comments coming from the younger Murdoc (insulting Freeview owners, threating BT with 'dark places') I doubt they will lisen.

Isn't there some sort of ruling that stops Sky from with-holding their channels from other carriers? Not sure where I read/heard this but as I understand it Sky can't openly refuse to provide Sky One, but what they can do is put such a high price on it that for HC it's not financially viable. Either way it's suprising that it hasn't been investigated by a regulator (presumably Ofcom).

The price of Premium Channels is regulated by a "rate card". However, basic channels, and presumably bonus channels aren't affected by this and it is down to negotiation by Sky and the carrier.

Off topic though this is, but perhaps it's something that Ofcom should look at, as the position Sky are in at the moment does give them an upper hand over any new pay TV operators. Presumably NTL/Telewest have some sort of contract that was negotiated years back over the supply of Sky One, otherwise why would they have it now? (Although given Sky's willingness to supply Sky Two, maybe it does just come down to hard cash)

Any platform which doesn't carry that channel is instantly placed at a disadvantage. I wonder how many subscribers have left HC as a direct result of them not carrying Sky One?

I suggest you read the Ofcom website, they have looked at this starting in 1999. The treat Sky as both a wholesaler and retailer, and deal with how they sell both packages and individual channels as well as EPG space.

The main gist of the regs which have been looked at in 2001,2003/4 and are looking at the EPG side now are about providing other retailers such as NTL/ TW etc their tv packages as not to put the consumer at a disadvantage and offer them a choice. It also goes onto commercial terms and while it deals with Sky not overcharging it also states that Sky should be payed a for it services.


Maybe homechoice/ Sky couldn't agree terms