Real Digital plans a return to the UK market with a hybrid platform combining free-to-air, premium channels and catch-up services.
The new Real Digital will launch later this year with an offer positioning itself between Sky and Freesat. There is no firm date set and the website of the company still mentions an autumn 2013 launch.
However, Broadband TV news understands that negotiations with premium channels and content owners are ongoing for a launch this year.
Subscribers will be given a set-top box with a 500 GB PVR and pay a monthly subscription fee of around £15 for the basic service, which includes more than 300 free-to-air channels.
Customers will be able to top up with selected premium channels including Sky Sports. With the hybrid box connected to broadband, Real Digital also plans to offer catch-up and on-demand services such as BBC iPlayer, 4OD and others.
“We’re planning to launch later in the year and are finalising discussions with service providers and channel partners,” it says on the Real Digital website.
“We’ll be offering the best in free content, and will offer a number of subscription services as well.
We’ll also be looking to include ALL the main catch-up players and other services, as our set-top boxes are IP compatible as standard.”
Real Digital was a digital satellite television and radio service which was transmitted from Astra and Eutelsat satellites located at 28.2 degrees East
After a soft launch with beta testers in October 2011, the service ceased transmitting six months later on March 31, 2012 to “undergo essential maintenance work”, and promised to return in approximately seven days, but never did.
Subsequently announced re-launch dates never materialised.
