16 Oct 2017

Vodafone and Sky launch new TV service

5:34 pm on 16 October 2017

Telecommunications company Vodafone is giving its television service a content and technology upgrade.

The company is bringing in a new offering of free to air and pay television, and internet video streaming services to be delivered by fibre and one set top box.

It's also reaffirmed its strong commercial links with pay TV operator, Sky Network, despite regulators turning down their proposed merger this year.

Vodafone said the service and its technology would deliver a one stop entertainment place with convenience for the consumer.

"Vodafone TV simplifies everything for the customer by delivering a fantastic range of local and international content, all in one place and with simple features to make viewing easy," its chief executive, Russell Stanners, said.

It will bundle broadband internet, Sky's pay TV channels, free-to-air channels, and allow consumers to connect to streaming subscription services such as Netflix.

Consumer New Zealand's technology writer Hadyn Green said being able to access all your content from one place was not new.

"I mean that's describing your telephone these days.

"They're describing a book you can get Sky through and Netflix through and YouTube through, TVNZ on demand, TV3. You can get a lot of those through your TV anyways."

The Commerce Commission previously shot down a proposed merger between the two companies because of the dominance the enlarged company would have in offering content such as live sport over a range of platforms such as mobile and internet.

Sky TV chief executive John Fellet said the two companies were closer than ever.

Sky's profit fell sharply last year because of fewer customers and higher programming costs, with investors querying what plan it had to compete against the likes of Netflix and Amazon.

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