Cablecom and Swiss Television launch TV on demand

ZURICH — In cooperation with Swiss Television, cablecom is launching TV on demand as of immediate effect. As a result, cablecom customers in the greater Zurich area can now catch up on all programmes produced by Swiss Television at any time for up to a week after their initial broadcast. This is part of cablecom’s digital basic offer and comes at no extra cost. By the end of 2010, this service will be available countrywide.

Cablecom is expanding its interactive TV platform. After launching video on demand in the greater Zurich area in May, cablecom is now introducing TV on demand. Swiss Television (SF) developed this service in cooperation with cablecom. Via the SF video portal, cablecom digital television customers can now watch all SF-produced programmes again free of charge for a week after their initial airing – without having to record the programme beforehand. Viewers can also watch, pause, fast forward and rewind programmes any number of times.

«TV on demand makes our digital tv package even more attractive both for our existing and new customers», comments Eric Tveter, Managing Director of cablecom. «We understand how busy the lives of our customers are. Today’s linear television with its set broadcasting times will increasingly be accompanied by television on demand, allowing them to watch programmes whenever they like. This is one of the most important innovations that digital television has brought.»

With programmes such as «Tagesschau», «sportaktuell», «10vor10», «Schweiz aktuell» and «Kassensturz», cablecom customers have access to all SF’s own productions which were previously broadcast on SF 1 or SF zwei. This content is usually accessible via TV on demand within two hours of its original broadcasting time.

Television director Ueli Haldimann is pleased with the cooperation with cablecom: «The new service meets a customer need: delayed viewing of our programmes is on the increase. Who isn’t familiar with this scenari you missed an SF programme and forgot to programme your recorder. For the first time, TV on demand allows you to enjoy missed programmes in the familiar quality. Our strategy as a television channel is to provide our public service via new technologies as well. »

Customers can access TV on demand and the SF video portal very easily, either by pressing the on demand key on their remote control, or by dialling in via the main menu of their cablecom mediabox.

In the first phase, viewers in the greater Zurich area will be able to enjoy the advantages of TV on demand. To benefit from the new service, customers must have a box from a more recent generation.