The leading Russian DTH platform Tricolor TV has added HD channels to its offer.
According to Vedomosti, they will initially be provided in the form of a 25-channel package, including such leading international services as Discovery HD, National Geographic HD and MTV Live HD, and cost viewers R900 (€22.7) a year to receive.
Furthermore, between 1-18 of the channels will be made available to competitors for fees ranging from R99-549 a month.
Tricolor TV began Q2 with nearly 10 million customers, of whom around 7.8 million opted for pay-TV services.
It expects to sign up around 7 million subscribers for its HD package in the next two and a half years.
Tricolor TV’s ARPU is projected to increase accordingly, from R629 at the end of 2011 to R1,200 next year.
Separately, France 24 has concluded a major distribution agreement in Russia and is now being distributed by Tricolor TV.