T-Mobile Czech Republic launches satellite TV

Two plans and three additional bundles; Satellite receiver supporting HD/PVR and a dish for only CZK 1; Installation for a special price

PRAGUE — Analogue darkness is upon us. T-Mobile has thus decided to enable its customers as well as anyone else interested to watch TV programmes in digital quality: starting on 1 November, customers will be able to activate satellite TV service at T-Mobile shops. T-Mobile TV will be offered under two plan options with a possibility to subscribe to up to three additional bundles. T-Mobile is the only provider on the Czech market to offer a satellite dish and a receiver supporting HD and a USB recording function for only CZK 1.

“Many households are now dealing with the question of how to get TV signal once analogue broadcasting ceases. We have therefore decided to include the T-Mobile TV service in our offer. Unlike the standard DVB-T system, it will offer many channels in HD quality,” says Petr Dvorak, Marketing Director at T”‘Mobile, adding: “Moreover, we are the only company on the Czech market which enables its customers to purchase a satellite receiver with HD support and a recording function for only CZK 1.”

T-Mobile TV enables satellite reception of Czech and international channels in digital quality anywhere in the Czech Republic. Apart from the channels in HD quality, which are appreciated in particular by the owners of large-screen TVs, the picture quality offered by all channels, compared to analogue and often also DVB-T reception, is higher.

Start – basic channels without a monthly fee

Customers interested in activating the T-Mobile TV service may choose from two plans. The Start plan offers 16 Czech and Slovak channels + Czech Television (CT) and Nova in HD quality. No regular monthly fee applies to this plan, though customers will pay the full price for the satellite receiver, dish and TV card (in total CZK 5,999). However, T-Mobile is the only company on the Czech market that enables its current mobile customers to get this equipment package for satellite TV reception at a special price when they extend their contract for a voice tariff plan (as in the case of mobile handsets). This will save them nearly CZK 6,000.

Standard – more than 40 channels and a receiver for prices starting at CZK 1

This more attractive offer brings a larger number of channels and specially-priced services for customers who sign a two-year contract: 18 Start channels + an additional 25 channels in the Czech and Slovak languages. Customers will get the satellite receiver and dish for CZK 1 (incl. VAT). Users can also have the service installed at their homes for a subsidized price of CZK 499; activation is completely free of charge. Customers will then pay a monthly fee of CZK 449 (incl. VAT) for the T-Mobile TV service.

The satellite receivers support HD-quality broadcasting as well as the Personal Video Recorder (PVR) function. This enables customers to connect their external hard disk or a USB flash disk via USB and record their favourite programmes.

Customers who sign a two-year contract and who already have a suitable satellite receiver will save 50% on the regular monthly fee during the first six months – the price of the Standard plan will be only CZK 224.50 (incl. VAT) instead of the standard CZK 449.

T-Mobile TV:

                                             Start                   Standard
                      ----------------------------  -------------------------
Channel offer         16 Czech and Slovak channels  Start + 25 other channels  
                               + CT HD and Nova HD        in Czech and Slovak
Contract                                        no              for 24 months 
Activation fee                           CZK 1,599                      CZK 0 
Monthly fee                                  CZK 0                    CZK 449 
Receiver and dish                        CZK 4,400                      CZK 1 
Installation                     approx. CZK 2,000                    CZK 499

Note: *Customers pay directly to the installation partner. The prices include VAT.

Want something more?

T-Mobile TV has even more things to offer – customers may subscribe to three more optional bundles: Film, HD and Zabava CS (“CS Entertainment”). All of these are available under the Standard and Start plans. Additionally, customers who sign a two-year contract for the T-Mobile TV Standard plan by the end of this year will get a free HD bundle for six months.

T-Mobile TV:

                                Film                            HD  Zabava CS
                             -------  ----------------------------  ---------
Monthly fee for customers
who subscribe to the         CZK 299                       CZK 349     CZK 99
Start plan

Monthly fee for customers
who subscribe to the         CZK 299                       CZK 299     CZK 99
Standard plan CZK 299

Channels                        HBO,        Eurosport, Nova Sport,   Kino CS,
                             HBO HD,  Filmbox, History, Discovery,   Doku CS,
                             Cinemax        Brava, Travel Channel*  Muzika CS

Note: *Available from 15 November 2010.

Equipment necessary for being able to use the service:

• TV card to be inserted in the receiver for channel decoding
• Receiver (set-top-box)
• Parabolic antenna and convertor (LNB)
• Coaxial cable connecting the dish to the receiver

Customers who already have some of the necessary equipment can purchase only the hardware they do not have. The prices of the equipment if purchased separately are as follows: TV card – CZK 1,599; receiver with the TV card – CZK 5,499, the complete set – CZK 5,999 (incl. VAT).

The service is provided via the Skylink satellite platform on the Astra satellites at 23.5 and 19.2 (SE).