HALIFAX – Eastern telco Aliant officially launched its digital television service, Aliant TV, in Halifax today.
The IP-delivered television service boasts digital picture and sound and features over 150 television and over 70 music channels. The company had been testing the service with about 50 customers for months prior to today’s announcement.
The lowest-price package of 75 channels is $29 a month for the first year and $39 thereafter, and only for Aliant High Speed value package customers.
"Aliant is pleased to offer our 100 per cent digital television service to our Aliant High Speed Value Package customers. A great television and music line-up for a low price," said Heather Tulk, vice-president, broadband and marketing, Aliant, in the press release. "With 20 per cent more channels for 40 per cent less than full-tier analog cable – combining phone, cell, Internet and television on one bill from Aliant is a convenient and cost-effective choice for our customers.
The full offering extends to 150 TV channels, the starting 75, plus four additional packages: Movies, Variety 1 and 2 and French – and will serve two TVs from the same RCA set top box (which is kind of coolly-designed, too).
Customers subscribing to Aliant TV do not have to pay for any additional equipment or installation. The service is currently only available to Aliant High-Speed Internet customers in select areas of Clayton Park West, Wedgewood and Rockingham in Halifax.
After its initial launch the company will extend Aliant TV to other select areas of Halifax and to additional urban centres throughout Atlantic Canada.
“Combined with Bell ExpressVu, our satellite television solution, we will ensure that as many customers as possible have access to our leading edge entertainment solutions,” concluded the release.
Aliant TV does not offer video on demand or personal video recorder functionality and is not carrying any high definition channels at the moment.
Aliant is in a serious eastern battle with Halifax-based cableco EastLink, which has offered local phone service for years now, re-sells Rogers Wireless telephony to customers and offers HD, PVR and soon, VOD, too.
However, the Aliant option starts at a significantly lower price point than a comparable EastLink package.
Due to the limited rollout of the Aliant TV product, though, EastLink does not plan any immediate response, says company spokesperson Paula Sibley. “From our position, Aliant has offered a TV product already,” she said, referring to Aliant’s ADSL TV launch and retreat in 2000-01. “This is not really anything new.”
As for the lower Aliant price point, Sibley said “it’s not that much of a difference when you compare our bundles to theirs.
A call to Aliant for further comment has not yet been returned.
