Spain: Voda v Orange multi-device showdown
September 4, 2013
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Vodafone and Orange are triggering a fierce pay-TV fight by launching two TV services with access across all existing devices (tablets, smartphones, PCs and TVs) via all transmission technologies (3G, 4G, ADSL, VDSL, or fibre).
Vodafone has reached an agreement with Canal Plus to distribute its OTT platform Yomvi through all devices in a phased launch. In a first phase, from this month, Canal + Liga and Canal + Liga de Campeones will be available through smartphones, tablets and Smart TVs for €10 a month. In January 2014 the service will be made available to all mobile subscribers including all content (football, cinema, and TV series). In March 2014 all content will be also available through Vodafone’s fibre network. This marks Vodafone’s return to the pay-TV market in Spain that it abandoned last year in order not to pay the 0.7 per cent tax to RTVE for distributing TV channels.
For Canal Plus, it will be the first time that Yomvi content is available using Android through smartphones and tablets. The service was up to now only accessible with iOS.
Orange is also launching its television a la carte service with access to the main pay TV channels dedicated to cinema, series, documentaries, children programming through a VoD offer. All content will be offered on HD through its 4G and fibre network. The company plans to reach 90 per cent of Spanish households.