A new agreement between Viasat and the antenna union FDA has secured the popular TV3 and other Viasat channels for Canal Digital. There had been concerns that Viasat would withdraw its bouquet from operators that signed an agreement with the Telenor-owned operator.
All of the Viasat channels will now be available as part of the Family Mix package. The breakthrough agreement means viewers no longer have to make their own arrangements to view the channel.
“Viasat’s new agreement with the FDA now allows for an antenna or housing association to choose suppliers who do not cooperate with Viasat. It might be Canal Digital, which is now authorized to manage and distribute Viasat channels TV3 channels, channels TV1000 and Viasat Golf,” said Viasat Denmark CEO Kim Poder.
The agreement is the latest piece of co-operation between Viasat and Canal Digital, which in recent months has seen popular basic channels Kanal 5 and TV3 be made available on both Viasat and Canal Digital satellite packages after years of disagreement.
“For Canal Digital, the agreement means that we are significantly stronger in the competition. We now have a much more complete product offering the Danish antenna, not only in terms of opportunities for choice and HDTV, but also on the Viasat TV channels if the corporation has entered the new type of agreement with Viasat,” said sales director Kenneth Christensen, Canal Digital Cable-TV.
The new agreement comes into force on December 8 with the FDA emphasizing that antenna unions must not be pressurized as a result of disagreements with channel providers.