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Has 4 channels reserved for DTV. Trials underway.
Until April 2001, there were two main contenders for the Italian digital market. One is Stream, which is now jointly controlled by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp (35%) and his Italian partners (30%) with Telecom Italia having the remaining shareholding (35%). The other contender is Telepiu, which is controlled by France's Vivendi's Canal Plus that in turn has an alliance with the Italian state broadcaster RAI. Stream had intended to bid for the rights to the entire Italian Serie A and B football leagues but the government set a 60% ownership limit for any single investor. Both companies making heavy losses.
In April 2001, Stream and Telepiu owners agreed to merge. The new company is to be called Telepiu. It will be 66.6% owned by Vivendi's Canal Plus and 33.3% by News Corp. News Corp has an option to increase its stake to 50% in 18 months. The merger is subject to a review by the European Commission.
Phase 1 to be launched in first quarter 2000 with a target 20% of the population around Amsterdam now likely to be delayed. Multiplexes to be auctioned. It is to be based on EuroMHEG standards. Cable networks are being upgraded to digital.
The Netherland's has one of Europe's highest cable penetration rates, at over 60% it's the same as Scandinavia. Netherland's largest cable operator and Europe's second largest, is UPC (United Pan-Europe Communications). Recently it raised $1.6bn on the bond market for expansion, just months after raising $1.5bn. In July 2000, UPC merged with the US Excite company to form Excite Chello. In August 2000 rumour had it that UPC would make a bid for the UK's Telewest cable company having acquire a 25% stake in the company from Liberty Media. Microsoft, which owns 23.6% stake in Telewest and a 5% stake in NTL would most likely object to an Excite Chello bid, preferring to see Telewest and NTL merge to take on BSkyB.
In June 2000 Liberty Media and UnitedGlobalCom (UGC) merged, creating one of the largest cable companies outside the US. UGC owns United Pan-Europe Communications.
They plan to launch 2 multiplexes in autumn of 2000 with another multiplex later.
They have 3 test transmitters. Approval for 5 multiplexes expected in 2000.
Plans to launch 11 multiplexes in the Summer of 1999 but delayed and now spring 2000 more likely. Carlton has joined a consortium led by Retevision to bid for some of these. Canal Plus is backing one of the competitors and Telefonica another. A multiplex can typically transmit 6 channels.
FutureTV, an interactive television company, has created MiTV, an interactive service providing email, internet access, audio and video facilities, particularly on-demand services. It has struck a deal with Spain's leading cable supplier ONO to provide the service to its 4.3m customers and many British holiday makers.
Sweden is live with 3 multiplexes covering the main population areas. Channels broadcasting are the public service SVT, Canal+ and TV8. Commercial Channels TV3 and Kanal 5 have been delayed by technical problems.
For the terrestrial system consumer take-up has been slow and there is a planned re-launch with set-top boxes available for rental. For 299 Kr (c£21) per month subscribers can receive 7 national channels, some regional channels, Canal+, and the Senda 3 channel package. 3 additional national channels are about to broadcast. Over 38 companies have applied for new broadcasting licences for the terrestrial service which now covers half of the population.
In March 2000, the UK's NTL announced it was buying a 25% stake in Bredbandsbolaget (B2), a Swedish pioneering broadband company with advanced technology. Sweden has a high penetration of broadband households.
The Cablecom Group is Switzerland's major cable company with 1.4m subscribers (53% market share) and a huge penetration of 96% of households. In December 99 it was acquired by NTL for £2.2bn, a record £1,670 per subscriber. Cablecom also owns SwissOnline, Switzerland's second largest ISP.
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