The French cable operator Numericable is the first to launch a regular 3D channel. The demo channel is meant to familiarise subscribers with 3D programming.
The demo channel, launched in cooperation with Panasonic, will broadcast just five programmes in a continuous loop: the movie Call of the Wild, the animated cartoons Xenopod and 3D Soleil and two documentaries on surfing, Tahiti 3D, destination surf. The channel will remain active till the launch of the 3D VOD service planned later this year. Programming will be refreshed on a regular basis, promises Numericable.
In May, the operator announced the launch of the 3D-HD Alliance together with Panasonic, Cisco, Nagravision and Sagecom. The cabler plans to launch a 3D VOD service before the end of the year.