NZ: SKY, Vodafone launch OTT Vodafone TV
October 16, 2017
By Colin Mann
Having abandoned plans to merge their businesses earlier in the year following failure to gain regulatory approval for the deal, New Zealand telco Vodafone and pay-TV operator SKY TV have unveiled Vodafone TV – a world of entertainment that Vodafone says lets Kiwis experience television like never before, by giving them freedom and control over their favourite content.
It brings SKY TV, free-to-air and a range of popular online and app-based entertainment services such as Netflix together in one intuitive, easy to use system.
Vodafone TV gives viewers the option to switch seamlessly between their smartphone, tablet and television. With some of the content – viewers have the ability to stop what they’re watching on TV, pick it up on their smart phone, and continue watching after they’ve left the house.
In a New Zealand first, Vodafone TV delivers cloud-based 4K television to Kiwis over fibre and Vodafone’s FibreX network. It features catch-up functionality that is delivered direct from the cloud so customers can watch lots of the shows they’ve missed over the last three days, even if they’ve forgotten to set up a recording.
“Television is how most of us relax, but for many people an average night’s viewing now involves mucking around with different devices, apps and remotes,” noted Vodafone Chief Executive Russell Stanners. “Vodafone TV simplifies everything for the customer by delivering a fantastic range of local and international content, all in one place and with simple features to make viewing easy.”
Customers who sign up to a Vodafone TV package – which will bundle together unlimited broadband and SKY Basic – will have the option to add on premium content choices such as SKY Sport, SoHo and SKY Movies, and they won’t require a satellite dish.
In addition to unlimited broadband and SKY Basic, the Vodafone TV packages will include all free-to-air channels such as TVNZ 1 and TVNZ 2, THREE, Bravo, Maori Television and Television 33 – premium subscription applications such as Netflix, as well as easy access to TVNZ OnDemand, ThreeNow, YouTube, iHeartRadio and Love Nature 4K. Full plan and pricing details will be announced in due course.
“Advances in technology create endless possibilities and make the future exciting,” added Vodafone Consumer Director Matt Williams. “Vodafone TV is a new generation of TV service that will enable Kiwis to experience TV like never before. It is something that delivers on our new brand promise: The future is exciting. Ready? We encourage everyone to visit a Vodafone shop and try Vodafone TV for themselves.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Vodafone to enable our massive range of premium entertainment and live sports to be viewed on this innovative digital service for Vodafone fibre and FibreX customers,” declared SKY Chief Executive John Fellet. “This is an exciting next step in our long-standing commercial relationship with Vodafone.”
Over time, Vodafone expects to expand content channels and evolving functionality will make the experience even more diverse and user-friendly for customers.