REGINA – Access Communications announced today the launch of 11 new digital channels, five of which will be accompanied with a three-month free preview.
Included in the new digital lineup are six high definition channels to round out the co-operative’s existing HD package, as well as five new digital channels. 
Bloomberg Television, WWOR-TV Superstation out of New York City, FOX News and The New VR (soon to be an A-Channel) out of Barrie, Ontario will be available in the “More Variety” theme package;
MuchMoreRetro will head up the new “Music Plus” theme pack. The five new digital channels will be launched with a free three-month preview beginning June 29, 2005 in Regina (with the exception of WWOR, which will launch in July), and will be available in the co-operative’s larger regional centres shortly after. (Customers must have a digital cable receiver from Access to take advantage of the free preview.)
The new high definition channels include TSN, CBC, and Movie Central in HD which were launched today; Discovery Channel, CTV and Global in HD will follow with an August launch.
To further enhance their customers’ digital experience, Access also today launched a new interactive on-screen guide for their PVR/HD digital receivers. The new guide includes picture in-guide, and a dual tuner which allows customers to record one program while watching another – or record two programs while watching a previously recorded program.
“This is another example of our customer’s requests leading the charge,” says Rick Fraser, vice-president, marketing for the locally-owned co-operative. “We have had numerous requests from our customers for more digital channels, specifically for more HD channels and of course, for the dual tuner capability on the PVR unit. With the recent upgrades to our Regina infrastructure and a new software agreement with Pioneer Technologies, we are now able to fulfill those requests and are looking forward to launching the channels and new guide in our other major centres shortly.”
He added the co-operative was interested in getting TSN and CBC in HD in particular because of their comprehensive CFL coverage. (the league, and especially the Saskatchewan Roughriders are very popular in the province). Together, TSN HD and CBC HD will carry over 40 CFL regular league games this season.
Access Communications Co-operative Limited is the 7th largest cable television provider in Canada. It also provides Internet and wireless cellular services to subscribers across Saskatchewan.
