TV Producer Mediapro and technology firm SIDSA are among six companies who have allied to launch ‘DTT Digital Alcázar’ one of the first pay-TV initiatives on DTT in Spain. The trial will take place in the Spanish village of Alcázar de San Juan but there are plans to introduce pay-per-view content, throughout the country from next year, writes Adrian Pennington.
Other members of the consortium include electronic manufacturer SIEMENS-InOutTV, consultancy firm SDIdigital and telco operator Telecom Castilla-La Mancha, along with the town council of Alcázar de San Juan. Together they have launched a pay-TV pilot offering pay-per-view matches from the Italian Football League, as well as films from Filmax and Manga Films.
The pay-TV transmissions may be received through Siemens set-top boxes -those with the InOutTV service integrated. The broadcasts are encrypted using the KeyFly system, a conditional access system developed by SIDSA.
Any DTT broadcasters interested in the initiative will have the opportunity to market their own events as the KeyFly system and the pay platform Bulevar Digital, are already compatible with Siemens-InOut TV decoders.
To buy an event, the viewer must send a SMS message to a number that appears on the promotional spot of the programme. In less than 10 seconds the promotional spot will disappear replaced by the acquired programme.
The consortium plan a wider launch during 2008-2009 including a selection of sports and premium pay-per-view events.
