Friday, July 20, 2007

PCCW Adding HD Channels in Hong Kong

PCCW in Hong Kong will broadcast more than 90 Barclay's Premier League football matches in HD starting in August 2007. PCCW will also broadcast other sporting events in HD, including 38 Italian Series A matches, 31 UEFA EURO 2008 matches and the Stanley Cup Playoffs, All Star and Regular Season Games and the Stanley Cup from the U.S. National Hockey League's 2007/08 season.

In addition, PCCW will provide value-added services to tie in with the launch of the 2007/08 season of the Barclays Premier League. For example, viewers will be able to view four live matches simultaneously via a split-screen function, as well as other interactive features that allow viewers to retrieve information on any Premiere League team or player by using the TV remote control.

To view HD programs, subscribers need to replace the standard set-top box with an HD version at the promotional rate of US$5/month (regular price US$10/month) for the set-top box rental. Customers subscribing to the US$62.50 Super Value Pack will receive the HD set-top box at no additional cost. The HD Sports package will be available to now TV Mega Sports Pack subscribers at at promotional rate of US$8.75/month (regular price US$11.25/month). There is a one-off charge for HD service installation and activation.

Also in August, PCCW will offer a dedicated HD channel, VOOM HD, which offers a collection of HD programming, including adventure travel, fashion, luxury lifestyles, art, live concerts, action sports and video games. Additional HD programming will be offered later.

This is the first HD IPTV offering in Asia. It shows that HD is becoming a global phenomenon. The low cost of HD sets will push all IPTV service providers into HD over the next couple of years.

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