Popular Swedish channels TV3 and TV6 are to be added to Com Hem’s digital packages from April 2 after an agreement between the cablenet and content provider Viasat. The channels had previously only been available in analogue, a source of irritation for Com Hem’s digital subscribers, since the operator ceased the availability of combined analogue-digital tuners. It follows a similar agreement with SBS over the carriage of Kanal 5 earlier this year.
“TV3 is one of the big five channels in Sweden and we’ve had ongoing discussions with Viasat for several years,” Com Hem TV product manager Christofer Peilitz told Broadband TV News. “There is some considerable growth within the digital market and this makes it a good deal for everyone.”
In addition to TV3 and TV6 eight other channels are being added to Com Hem’s digital packages. Telephony and broadband services were integrated in October. The new channels are ZTV, Viasat Golf, film channel Silver, Disney Playhouse, BBC Food, Motors Tv and Viasat Explorer. Chellomedia’s Club is being dropped in the restructuring, while the music channel Mezzo is being added to the larger tier.
From May the price of Com Hem’s innovative a la carte packaging is being reduced from SEK39 (€4.18) to SEK29 per month.
Full interview with Christofer Peilitz in New Television Insider.
