Digital TV News

Would you try TalkTalk TV?

Tuesday 7 February, 2012

By Kelvin Goodson

Broadband provider to launch TV service this year.

Are you a TalkTalk broadband customer? Envious of the TV services that your buddies who are with a different broadband provider have?

Well that could be set to change this year. TalkTalk will unveil a TV service in 2012, according to its latest financial results.

Commenting on the results, Dido Harding, chief executive of TalkTalk, mentioned that the provider will re-enter the digital TV fray this year:

“Our operational achievements and strong financial performance give us confidence as we look ahead to delivering an exciting strategic agenda through 2012, including the launch of our TV proposition.”

While details about this “proposition” are scarce at present, TalkTalk did reveal back in November that it would be launching a budget broadband, TV and telephone bundle this spring.

Harding said at the time that the launch of YouView this year - a plug-and-play TV platform like Freeview that will also incorporate catch-up and on-demand services, digital recording and high-definition (HD) and pay-TV channels - would be “a major development for TalkTalk”.

The idea behind YouView, which has been jointly developed by TalkTalk, the BBC, BT, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV and communications company Arqiva, is that it will provide TV through all the platforms now available without the need to subscribe - all the user will need is a YouView set-top box and a broadband connection.

TalkTalk previously offered TalkTalk TV, formerly Tiscali TV, which it acquired when taking over fellow provider Tiscali in 2009. However, the service is no longer available to new customers.