UK - FetchTV SmartBoxes available in John Lewis

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

IP Vision’s FetchTV is the first Freeview+ IPTV service to offer its users access to video-on-demand (VOD) and catch up content direct to their TV screen with no charges or tied-in subscription model.

The SmartBox provides free access to a growing range of web video services. Users are able to watch BBC iPlayer catchup content directly on the TV as well as selected video from Channel 4, Sky Sports News, Discovery Channel and CNN.

The FetchTV SmartBox can be connected to any UK broadband service allowing the user to access over 1500 hours of VOD content direct to their TV screen, including content from Paramount Pictures, National Geographic, Cartoon Network and many more. Once consumers have bought their FetchTV Freeview+ accredited SmartBox they pay for films and premium TV content on a pay per view basis.

IP Vision have signed a retail deal with the John Lewis Partnership meaning that the FetchTV SmartBox will be available in John Lewis stores from July 23rd 2009.

IP Vision is also providing access to a selection of catch up and online TV giving its customers great web content free via its SmartBox direct to their TV screen.

Eddie Abrams CEO of IP Vision said: “These two announcements are the culmination of a great deal of hard work for us. We have known for a long time that our service had the capability to deliver content that has been traditionally viewed online to a TV screen.

With the development of services like Canvas we know that content delivered via broadband will become more commonplace over the next few years. I am proud that we are able to lead the way and be the first to market with this technology.

Our first retail deal for the box with John Lewis means that it will now be much easier for customers to buy one of our FetchTV boxes.

We are in advanced discussions with a number of other parties about distribution and availability across the UK. We’re also confident that over the next few months we’ll be able to deliver more online content direct to the TV screen.”

FetchTV’s SmartBox is an ‘over the counter’ plug and play solution with no need for an engineer installation visit. The VOD service works with any broadband supplier – unlike other VOD-enabled TV services available in the UK. Customers who don’t have broadband can shop around for the best broadband deal to suit them.

The box is Freeview+ accredited allowing users to pause and rewind live TV and has twin Freeview tuners and a 160Gb hard drive.

FetchTV’s SmartBox has a USB port that allows any programmes recorded from Freeview channels to be exported on to a USB stick or drive, meaning the box’s hard drive need never get full. The SmartBox acts as a media centre allowing users to view their own digital pictures and movies on the TV.

The box retails at £219 and is available from John Lewis stores nationwide or online at www.fetchtv.co.uk