EXCLUSIVE. Marking the first time in German-speaking Europe, Swiss telecommunications provider Salt is offering pay-TV channels as part of its basic TV package.
With the move, the company differentiates itself from competing platforms where the channels are only available in pay-TV packages for an additional subscription fee. The distribution rights for the channels are supplied by B2B service provider M7 Deutschland.
A special selection of 25 pay-TV channels was compiled for Salt, covering a broad range of target groups and genres, Christian Heinkele, managing director of Eviso, the German sales and distribution partner of M7, told Broadband TV News. “With this approach, Salt is a real game changer in the Swiss market.”
The pay-TV line-up offered as part of the basic package includes, for example, AXN, auto motor und sport channel, Sony Channel, Fox, National Geographic Channel, Planet, Marco Polo TV, Heimatkanal, Gute Laune TV, Romance TV, Kinowelt TV, Nick Jr., Duck TV, MTV, VH1 and Mezzo. Most channels are offered in HD quality.
Besides the distribution rights for the linear TV channels, M7 also provides Salt with the rights for multiscreen distribution on smartphones and tablets, instant replay, instant restart, catch-up TV and private cloud copy, said Heinkele.
Salt launched its IPTV platform last week for fibre-optic households in Switzerland. For the first time in Europe, the Apple TV box is used by a platform operator as the standard set-top-box.
Salt is the largest network partner M7 has gained in Switzerland so far. The company previously only supplied smaller operators with its services.
