Digital TV News

TalkTalk shifts TV focus to Project Canvas

Thursday 21 January, 2010

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

TalkTalk will focus its digital TV developments on new joint venture, Project Canvas.

Carphone Warehouse has said it is not planning any major investments in TalkTalk TV ( www.talktalk.co.uk/tv ) until more progress has been made with Project Canvas - the joint on-demand digital TV venture, funded in part by the BBC.

Charles Dunstone, CEO of Carphone Warehouse, 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.

TalkTalk put £16million into the venture last month, becoming a partner of Project Canvas alongside the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel Five and BT Vision owner, BT.

Tiscali TV was rebranded as TalkTalk TV earlier this month, following TalkTalk’s acquisition of Tiscali. TalkTalk is now one of the UK’s largest broadband, home phone and TV providers.

All existing Tiscali customers in the UK are now being transferred over to the TalkTalk network, with the full migration expected to be completed within the next 12 months.

Dunstone also confirmed that Carphone Warehouse is still looking at delivering ultra-fast broadband services in the UK.