German cable operator Unitymedia Kabel BW will offer its customers in federal states North-Rhine Westphalia, Hessen and Baden-Württemberg the possibility to receive public TV channels ARD and ZDF as live-streams on mobile networks through its internet platform Horizon TV from June 11, 2014.
Through the move, viewers will be able to watch the games of the upcoming FIFA Football World Cup on their smartphone, tablet or laptop while on the go using 3G networks. The channels offered by Horizon TV have so far only been available on customers’ local Wi-Fi home networks for legal reasons.
According to a Unitymedia Kabel BW spokesman, initially only ARD and ZDF will be unlocked for 3G reception, but not digital channels Einsfestival and ZDFinfo onto which ARD and ZDF have outsourced some World Cup games.
In total, Horizon TV which is available to cable customers of the German Liberty Global subsidiary for no additional charge provides access to more than 90 TV channels and an online video library. There are Horizon TV apps for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch with an app for Android to follow in June.
The live-streams of ARD and ZDF are also available free of charge on mobile devices via 3G networks on the channels’ websites as well as through internet TV providers Zattoo and Magine TV. Unitymedia Kabel BW wants to make further TV channels available on mobile networks through Horizon TV later this year.
