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TV through broadband sees first wholesale deal

Cable & Wireless have announced a deal with Inuk networks for the first national IPTV service.

Inuk Networks is best known for providing a triple-play (broadband, TV and telephone) service called ‘Freewire’ through the specialist University and Education backbone network called JANET to the student market.

The Freewire service currently offers over 50 channels of TV and plans to offer more premium content such as sports and movies.  The service will be expanded and offered to UK homes from March 2008 through the deal struck with Cable & Wireless to use their nationwide network.

C & W will also offer the service as a white label solution to other wholesale DSL providers who wish to add digital TV to their product range.

Marcus Liassides, CEO, Inuk, said of the deal: “Cable & Wireless has the unique capability to offer an all-national wholesale multicast platform, so for us, the deal was a no-brainer. It’s great news for our customers as it means we can deliver triple-play services into the home and it’s great news for us as we can expand the choice of services that we’re able to offer in the future.”

Annelise Berendt, senior analyst at Ovum said of the deal:

“Looking at the significance of this deal more widely, for ISPs with dual play offers this is important. It should provide an alternative to building their own IPTV platforms and services, including the lengthy and expensive process of content negotiation. It should bring choice to a market in which the TV players that might once have been suitable partners for a triple play package – Sky, Virgin Media – are now heavy competitors in both voice and broadband services.

“It also raises the game for other potential wholesale IPTV operators, promising to bring in a nationwide offering ahead of anything BT might produce on the back of 21CN and indeed any white label offer that Tiscali might provide. At least it will open up new opportunities for those looking to add TV services to their portfolios.”