UPC unveils On Demand TV for Ireland

€500 million investment in fibre powered network delivers next generation TV to one-third of ALL homes in Dublin from Friday; UPC gives their customers the RTÉ Player & 3player through the TV together with the best US & UK box sets for FREE

Launching on Friday May 25th, UPC (NASDAQ: LBTYA, LBTYB, LBTYK), the nation’s leading provider of entertainment, information and communications, today unveiled On Demand TV for Ireland, bringing a groundbreaking new TV experience to its customers.

For the first time, this unique service offers customers the benefit of seven day catch-up TV from the RTÉ Player and 3player and over 1,300 hours of the best box sets and series for free. Additionally, Movies On-Demand is also available at the touch of a button.

The launch of On Demand TV has been enabled by UPC’s €500 million investments in its fibre powered network. Over one third of homes in Dublin will get On Demand instantly on their current UPC TV service. It will become available to the rest of the country throughout the summer to reach over 600,000 Irish homes.

The much anticipated service was unveiled today at Dublin’s Lighthouse Cinema by UPC Ireland CEO Dana Strong and UPC Brand Ambassador Craig Doyle together with Simon Delaney, Coronation Street’s Michelle Keegan, Dave Fanning, Martin King and Fair City actor Ciara O’Callaghan.

For the first time in Ireland, the RTÉ Player and 3player will be available on the digital TV service, available FREE to all UPC Digital TV cable customers. In addition, there are over 1,300 hours of On Demand library content from the most popular TV series from the BBC, ITV, and a range of other leading channels, so customers will always have something to watch, whenever it suits them.

Access to ITV, BBC and US box sets as well as the On Demand content from MGM, True Movies, Food Network, History and Discovery Channel will be available with further new programmes and content being added in the weeks ahead. Additionally, there are complete box sets of award winning US TV, such as Blue Bloods, The Good Wife and Dexter among others – available free of charge to UPC Select and Max customers through their UPC digital remote.

UPC has negotiated with the top Hollywood studios to allow customers to rent from hundreds of movies, including the latest box office hits, directly through their TV at the touch of a button. UPC will provide the latest release movies at the same time as they are available on DVD.

Speaking at the launch Dana Strong, Chief Executive of UPC Ireland said,

“UPC On-Demand TV redefines television as we know it in Ireland and gives us a unique TV offering. UPC customers can now watch what they want, when they want, without the constraints of a TV schedule or DVR. It’s the only true On-Demand TV service in Ireland which means you’ll always be able to find something you enjoy. This investment is the start of a process which will see us bringing even more innovative new products and services to our customers in the current year.

“On Demand TV is our first step in changing how Irish households watch television.

Even if you forget to record your favourite shows you can relax knowing they will be available for the next week through the catch-up TV service. Or you can simply choose from our extensive library of other television programmes, box sets and movies.”

Unlike internet based television and movie services, UPC On-Demand TV is simple to use and you don’t need any additional services. You just press the On-Demand button on your UPC digital remote control and you have access to an extensive library of current and recent TV and movies.

Catch up TV – through the RTÉ Player and 3player – is free to all UPC Digital Cable TV customers.

All customers will be able to rent the latest movie releases (€4.99 SD or €5.99 HD) and will also be able to choose from an extensive movie library (€1.99 SD or €2.49 HD).

In the UK, for example, up to 26% of people say they watch more TV through on-demand services than they do watching traditional linear TV (survey by YouGov, April 2012).