So what are your comments about the new services offered by PCCW?
Personally think its a great move by PCCW to converge the broadband offerings with "DVD quality" cable TV on demand.
The following article is in the unlinkable SCMP .. emphasis is mine.
So .. who's switching to NOW?PCCW, the dominant telephone operator, has launched its entry into the pay-television market by offering channels as an add-on service to its broadband internet customers.
The NOW Broadband TV service is to start in late September, with "a la carte" price plans that bill customers based on the number of channels selected. The company is waiting on the Executive Council for final approval of their broadcasting licence before the service is launched.
It hopes to sign up 20,000 customers each month. PCCW has an existing base of 480,000 broadband customers."We are targeting the whole Hong Kong community," said Mike Butcher, chief operating officer of PCCW.
Starting today, Netvigator broadband customers can obtain for free a digital decoder, also called a set-top box, which connects to a television set from their broadband modem. The box, which comes with a remote control, sends the signal to the television in DVD quality. There will be 23 channels available initially, all except two in English. Channels include MTv, the Hallmark Channel, the MGM movie channel, five Discovery channels, Cartoon Network, CNBC, and two Mandarin channels. Some of the English channels will come with Chinese subtitles.
The company is in negotiations to sign on more sports and Chinese channels. It expects to offer more than 30 channels by the end of the year and has the capacity to support up to 400 channels.
Each channel would cost users between $9 and $21 per month with a commitment to a one-year contract. For example, the five Discovery channels would cost $42 per month for 12 months, while the MGM movie channel will cost $21 per month. Some channels would be free, but details were not given yesterday.
More information on price plans are expected to be released today.