Truevisions orders half-million HD set-top boxes
TrueVisions has ordered 500,000 high-definition set-top boxes produced by PSI Holding for sale and rent to its pay-TV customers next year.
“Because of our more than 20 years’ expertise in satellite TV equipment manufacturing in Thailand, the company can offer lower prices than imported satellite set-top boxes,” Somporn Teerarochanapong, chief executive officer of PSI, told The Nation yesterday.
The boxes from PSI, a major distributor of C-band satellite dishes, are expected to help TrueVisions cut costs.
Last week TrueVisions launched a three-year partnership with PSI to offer an Bt850 set-top box for free-to-air service, providing about 200 channels, including some exclusive ones from TrueVisions.
PSI targets selling 300,000 PSI True TV boxes by year-end and 1 million in the first year.
The HD set-top box will be sold to TrueVisions’ Platinum and Gold Package subscribers.
TrueVisions wants to expand its viewer base via PSI’s satellite TV network.
Ongard Prapakamol, chief commercial officer of TrueVisions, said the company had a base of 300,000 viewers with TrueLife Plus boxes and the PSI True TV boxes would bring in new customers.
PSI, which claims that its satellite-TV dishes are used by 10.5 million households, can enjoy additional revenue from sales of the PSI True TV box.
TrueVisions yesterday launched its Internet TV service to offer live HD broadcasts of the new English Premier League season. Soccer fans can catch all 380 matches via smart devices including personal computers, tablets and smart phones for Bt350 a month.
This new service targets two main soccer audiences – younger fans who use the Internet on their desktop or laptop PC and active fans who spend most of their time on the go and would like to watch these matches on their tablet or smart phone.
The matches are accessible through pl.truevisions.tv or Apple Store’s “TrueVisions PL” application, which will be available by the end of this month. Android users can watch the matches next month. This service includes other popular leagues such as the Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) Champions League.
“TrueVisions is confident that this additional option will be well received by football fans in Thailand, and it is expected that there will be 100,000 viewers by the end of this year,” Ongard said.
