Czech Republic - O2TV celebrates 50,000 customers!

Interest in O2 TV digital television is extraordinary. This can be seen in the continuously growing number of customers who use this unique fixed-line digital television service. As confirmed by Telefónica O2 Czech Republic statistics, the number of subscribers has exceeded the 50,000 border. The service was launched on the market on September 1, 2006, and merely a year later, it has proven that to customers the fixed line is not only a symbol of voice and Internet services, but it also represents a source of televised and film entertainment. O2 TV offers not only a broad range of television channels and radio stations, but also hundreds of films, documentaries (even in 3D), serials, and fairy tales. It recently began presenting live broadcasts of O2 Extraliga hockey games, and is preparing more exciting new features.

“The massive interest that new and existing customers have shown in O2 TV pleases us a great deal. With innovative products like O2 Internet ADSL, O2 TV digital television, and new convergent services in the form of packages combining fixed and mobile calling, broadband Internet connections, and fixed-line television, we have succeeded in increasing the number of new activations, and have thus reduced the decline in the field of fixed lines,”says Simon Burckhardt, Chief Marketing Officer for the Residential Segment,Telefónica O2 Czech Republic, adding, “For instance, for the pleasure of all film and sport fans, we recently expanded our channel package portfolio. We have also closed agreements to co-operate with prominent Hollywood film studios Warner Brothers and The Walt Disney Company, and have thus increased the number of films being offered in the Videotéka considerably, so customers will certainly never get bored with us.”

Reward for the 50,000th customer

On the occasion of reaching this significant number of customers, Telefónica O2 decided to reward the 50,000 th customer. Mrs. Martina Potácivá of Libochovice became the owner of a brand new LCD television. “It is a pleasant surprise for me. I had been thinking about getting digital television for a long time, especially owing to the planned switch from analogue terrestrial broadcasting. When selecting the best option, the fact that we had already been using O2 broadband Internet services played a major role, making the O2 Trio service a logical choice.”

Expanded film catalogue in the Videotéka

Since September 2007, Telefónica O2 has been working with two of Hollywood’s biggest studios: The Walt Disney Company and Warner Brothers. Customers can thus look forward to brand new films that both multinational companies have presented in the Czech Republic in the cinema and through video distribution. The virtual video rental shop’s offer will soon include, for instance, the fantastic animated film Cars, the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean – At World’s End, the Oscar-winning animated title Happy Feet, the crime comedy Ocean’s Thirteen, and the global smash Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. With access to the film catalogues of both renowned studios, the Videotéka will expand by another sixty films per year. Customers can look forward to such film hits as 102 Dalmatians, Gone in 60 Seconds, Analyze That, and the Oscar-winning thriller Training Day.

More channels for sport and film fans

From September 1, 2007, the existing O2 TV channel packages were expanded with the new basic channel package O2 TV Sport and two additional channel packages O2 TV Sport plus and O2 TV Filmy plus. The new O2 TV Sport channel package is intended primarily for all sport fans. In addition to standard Czech channels, this package also includes Galaxie sport,Eurosport, Eurosport 2, Sport 1, Extreme Sports Channel, Motors TV, NASN, and ESPN Classic, as well as access to live broadcasts of selected O2 Extraliga hockey games, and to the archive of past games. The monthly fee for this package is CZK 460 (CZK 547.40 including VAT), or CZK 377 (CZK 448.60 including VAT) if the customer subscribes to O2 Internet ADSL. The new additional program packages that customers can add to their basic channel packages present the following channels: Sport 1, Extreme Sports Channel, Motors TV, NASN, and ESPN Classic for sport fans and CSFilm, Filmbox, Nonstop Kino, AXN Crime, a AXN Sci-Fi for film buffs. Both additional packages cost a mere CZK 126 (CZK 150 including VAT) each.

O2 TV is even cheaper

Customers who activate the basic channel packages O2 TV Zábava, O2 TV Kino, or the new O2 TV Sport by October 31, 2007 receive a 50% discount off the monthly fee for the first three months of service usage. As part of this offer, activation is a mere CZK 1 (CZK 1 incl. VAT). Unlike terrestrial digital broadcasting, customers do not have to buy the required set-top box; they can rent one for CZK 1.19 with VAT. They also pay one crown without VAT for the modem and for installation. Those who select the self-installation package also get two rentals from the Films category of the Videotéka (Video Library) for CZK 1 (CZK 1.19 including VAT) each. And that is not all. Every new and existing customer that orders an additional channel package – O2 TV Sport plus, O2 TV Filmy plus, or O2 TV Extraliga plus – only pays a symbolic fee of one crown (CZK 1.19 including VAT) for the first three months.

Digitization and O2 TV

Customers do not have to worry about switching to analogue broadcasting. With O2 TV digital television, they receive all channels with the digital quality picture and sound to which they have become accustomed, and they also get dozens of other interesting channels. Today the O2 TV service covers 70% of the Czech Republic. Unlike terrestrial digital broadcasting, customers do not need to purchase a set-top box – with O2 TV, they can rent one for CZK 1.19 with VAT per month for a period of 24 months.