The Czech/Slovak DTH platforms Skylink and CS Link could make an additional CZK492 million (€19.3 million) each year in revenues once they start charging their customers a monthly service charge of CZK29 from September 1.
E15 estimates that of the 1.61 million registered cards for the two platforms at the end of March, some 200,000 were for paid services.
The service charge will be introduced for those customers who currently watch free rather than pay channels.
However, it should also be pointed out that the charge would be introduced gradually, with cardholders paying a portion of it 12 months, then 24 months, from registration.
Some may also chose to change providers by moving to UPC’s freesat or RCS&RDS’s Digi TV.
