The introduction of a pre-pay offer in Poland’s DTH market is an interesting development. Whether it proves to be a success is anyone’s guess.
Although some 3.8 million homes already subscribe to the services offered by Cyfrowy Polsat, Cyfra+ and n, there is certainly scope for further growth. Indeed, while a further 4.5 million homes currently receive cable, some 5 million rely solely on analogue terrestrial TV for their viewing. It is they, along with subscribers to Cyfrowy Polsat’s basic service, that the new offer – Telewizja na karte (TNK) – will be principally targeting.
Cyfrowy Dom (‘Digital Home’), the operators of TNK, share the same owners as n and are therefore no newcomers to the Polish DTH marketplace.
In launching their pre-paid service now, they will be stealing a march on the planned TVP/Astra satellite platform, which is unlikely to make its debut before Q4 2009 at the earliest. They will also be making full use of the fact that the 5 million or so target homes are not yet offered a DTT service, and nor have they found IPTV appealing.
Even so, on close examination TNK is certainly not the cut-price product required to entice these target homes. The Technisat reception equipment, for instance, will cost up to PLN200 (€60.4), and the pre-paid card PLN49, followed by top ups – depending on how long one wishes to receive the service – ranging from PLN10 to PLN16 a month.
Interestingly, ITI Neovision has said that TNK will hope to secure viewers from the 200,000 who currently watch analogue transmissions of TVN on Hot Bird. These are due to be shut off sometime in December.
It will also expect TNK customers to eventually switch to the much more comprehensive services offered by the new generation platform n.
The 50,000-customer target TNK has set itself for the end of the year is certainly achievable. While its impact on the marketplace is likely to minimal, at least in the short term, it could in due course prompt other companies to also launch pre-pay offers in Poland.
