:: 19/07/2010

United Kingdom - Top Up TV brings Sky Sports to Freeview

Top Up TV [the pay TV operator which is available on special DVB-T set top boxes in the UK] has confirmed that it will bring Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 to over 10 million Freeview homes in the UK when it launches its new sports packs on August 20th. The announcement follows competitor BT Vision’s [using IPTV and DVB-T hybrid) decision to offer the channels on Freeview.

Top Up TV has confirmed that it will bring Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 to over 10 million Freeview homes in the UK when it launches its new sports packs on August 20th. The announcement follows competitor BT Vision’s decision to offer the channels on Freeview.

Sky Sports 1 and 2 will join ESPN on Top Up TV, giving subscribers live access to 2010/11 Barclays Premier League games and Champions League matches previously only available on satellite and cable.

Top Up TV will offer Sky Sports 1 for £22.99 a month, Sky Sports 1 and 2 for £31.99 a month and the whole pack, Sky Sports 1 and 2 and ESPN, for £39.99 a month. Top Up TV will also offer Sky Sports 1 and 2 free for the first month with no obligation to a contract if customers subscribe before September 6.

In contrast to Top Up TV’s rates, BT Vision is offering one service at £11.99 and both at £16.99, both considered to be loss-leading. To obtain these packages, new customers have to agree to a 24-month deal and pay £11.54 in line rental and £17.99 for a TV pack, telephony package and up to 20Mb broadband deal.

BSkyB offers Sky Sports 1 or Sky Sports 2 for £29, or a pack including all four Sky Sports channels, Sky Sports News and extras such as broadband and telephony for £38 – with line rental of about £11 on top.

Virgin Media offers Sky Sports 1 or 2 for £13.50, but this requires buying its basic TV channel pack for an extra £11. To buy Sky Sports 1 through 4 and Sky Sports News costs £20.50 on top of the basic channel pack.

In March, Ofcom ruled that Sky would have to cut the price it charged rivals to show its premium sports channels.

Source: advanced-television.com