Pace extends M7 contract

13.00 Update: Pace has announced it will be providing next generation HD receivers to the M7 Group, the company that operates Benelux pay-TV platforms CanalDigitaal, TV Vlaanderen and TeleSAT.The new Philips-branded HD zapper box is already being deployed and a new HD 320GB PVR device will be introduced later this year. Netherlands-based Canal Digital has previously offered customers an HD receiver from Philips, now known as Pace France. The new receivers will still carry the Philips marque, but also feature a “designed by Pace” logo.

“This agreement helps M7 to bring the HD experience to more of its subscribers and contributes to our own success by consolidating our presence in a very important market,” commented Hervé Mathieu, General Manager, Nagra Customer Account Team and VP Sales, Pace France.

Both the Pace boxes will include Nagravision Conditional Access and OpenTV middleware running NagraGuide, a suite of interactive applications for PVR boxes. The devices have also been designed according to Pace’s low environmental impact (LEI) initiative.

M7 recently secured an additional two Astra transponders for HD services. Canal Digitaal claims to have the widest HD offer in the Netherlands including all three PSB channels, available free-to-view, and commercial broadcasters RTL 4 HD, RTL 5 HD, RTL 7 HD, SBS6 HD, Net 5 HD and Veronica HD.