TrueVisions launching HD set-top boxes

Chief executive officer Suphachai Chearavanont said yesterday that during that period, 500,000 HD set-top boxes were expected to be sold after their launch next month. This would enable the company to retain existing customers as well as gain more premium subscribers. Currently TrueVisions provides 11 HD channels - Reality HD, HBO HD, TrueSport HD, TrueSport HD2, National Geographic HD, Discovery HD World, Star Movies HD, Fox Family Movies HD, AXN HD, KMTV HD and IConcerts HD - to its premium customers who pay for Platinum, Gold and Silver packages.

This content is available on the cable system only. The company plans to expand HD service on to the satellite platform later.

The upgraded set-top box will offer different features from the old ones. These include high-resolution HD 1080i standard and Dolby 5.1 audio technologies, a personal video recorder, video on demand and an application that allows customers to control some features from mobile communication devices such as iPhone and iPad.

"These new features will match the lifestyle and behaviour of new-generation customers and make us different from our rivals," chief commercial officer Ongard Prapakmol said.

Suphachai said the company foresaw a  surge in premium customers  by 2013, mostly upgrades from free-view members.

Customer demand for HD content and TV sets continues to grow. About 5 million households have HD TVs.

"Seeing further opportunity, we are focusing our strategy on HD services in the next couple years," Suphachai said.

This new technology will also allow TrueVisions to seek additional revenue from value-added services provided on the set-top box including e-commerce, interactive content and customised advertising.