Swisscom TV 2.0 brings HbbTV to SRG SSR channels

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015
Swisscom logo

Swisscom TV 2.0 bringing HbbTV to SRG SSR channels

BERNE — TV that is geared to the individual viewer: With HbbTV, Swisscom TV 2.0 now features a service that allows viewers at home to enhance programmes according to their needs. Swisscom will today activate the multimedia successor to teletext, which includes many interesting features. HbbTV will be available in HD programmes shown on SRG: “The interactive television experience offers our viewers additional important information, which we intend to continuously expand over the coming years,” said Roger de Weck, General Manager of SRG. HbbTV is also available on the ARD, ZDF, ORF1 and ORF2 TV channels via Swisscom TV 2.0.

HbbTV SRF

The classic teletext service continues to be a popular media channel in Switzerland, with approximately 800,000 people using the service on their TVs every day to read the news and access other information. Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV for short) is opening the door to a variety of new possibilities, with TV viewers now being able to access interactive content thanks to the connection to the Internet. Swisscom has now activated HbbTV for all Swisscom TV 2.0 customers. The new service will allow multimedia content to be displayed on screen during the broadcast of a television programme. For example, TV viewers can call up interactive additional information about a current television programme or online video libraries and take part in televotes. Images can also be displayed in connection with texts, sports results and weather forecasts. HbbTV is easy to use – customers can immerse themselves in the new, interactive television experience by simply pressing the red Extra button on their remote controls. Marc Werner, Head of Residential Customers at Swisscom, had the following to say regarding the service: “Our TV 2.0 customers benefit from new functions every quarter. I am particularly excited about HbbTV, as our customers can use this service to receive interesting additional information on the TV programme currently being broadcast.”

HbbTV also available for German and Austrian TV channels

As of today, HbbTV is available on SRG HD channels, including SRF 1, SRF zwei, RTS Un, RTS Deux, RSI LA 1 and RSI LA 2. What’s more, Swisscom is also offering HbbTV for the ARD, ZDF, ORF 1 and ORF 2 HD channels. The service will be made available to all Swisscom TV 2.0 customers by Thursday, 16 April, at the latest.