Digital TV News

TalkTalk TV to launch on Project Canvas

Monday 19 April, 2010

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

TalkTalk’s internet television service, TalkTalk TV, is set to launch on Project Canvas, offering many homes access to on-demand TV shows and entertainment.

TV, broadband and home phone provider TalkTalk has confirmed that content from its TV service will be available on the Project Canvas TV platform when the venture is launched.

Project Canvas is an on-demand TV service that is being developed by the BBC in partnership with ITV, Channel 4, Five, BT and TalkTalk.

When launched, it will allow users to watch catch-up TV on services like the BBC iPlayer and 4oD, as well as the standard TV channels on Freeview, and internet TV services such as BT Vision and TalkTalk TV (www.talktalk.co.uk/tv) via an internet-connected set-top box.

TalkTalk said that it wouldn’t be “pushing further sales of TalkTalk TV”, and is instead waiting for the launch of Project Canvas before developing its TV service, which it acquired last year through its takeover of Tiscali UK.

TalkTalk TV, formerly Tiscali TV, offers customers over 70 digital TV and radio channels, along with a pay-per-view film service and more than 350 free on-demand programmes.

In January earlier this year, TalkTalk’s chief executive Charles Dunstone, said it would be “foolhardy” to invest in TalkTalk TV when major companies, including the BBC and BT, are already backing Project Canvas. “We have to accept our heritage is not in TV,” he added.

The Project Canvas venture was given a preliminary go-ahead by the BBC Trust but now faces an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) following complaints from rival digital TV providers Virgin Media and Sky.

Jon Ingram, operations director at Digitalchoices.co.uk, said: “TalkTalk TV will end up in more living rooms once it’s available via Project Canvas.

“It remains to be seen whether users will have to be TalkTalk broadband customers to access the content, as is currently the case for TalkTalk TV.”