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09-12-2011, 18:46
*Deutsche Telekom steps up cable TV efforts* _ Jörn Krieger ©RapidTVNews | 09-12-2011 _ Deutsche Telekom is to provide a TV service to 171,000 apartments belonging to housing association Deutsche Annington Immobilien Gruppe (DAIG) throughout Germany. The flats will gradually be connected to Telekom's fibre-optic network with the upgrades to commence in early 2012. In the first quarter of 2013, DAIG buildings with a total of 40,000 apartments will be served by Telekom. The telco will gradually take over the provision of the flats on 610 DAIG bases in Germany with a TV service containing free-TV and pay-TV packages. Tenants will also gain access to Telekom's broadband internet service. Telekom will invest a low 3-digit million euro figure into the project through with the housing association wants to add value to its apartments. According to Telekom, more than 90% of tenants will benefit from lower cable TV subscription fees through the move. In early 2011 it became known that Telekom plans to provide housing companies and city carriers with TV channels. With the move the telco will become a competitor to large cable operators such as Kabel Deutschland, Unitymedia and Kabel BW as well as Eutelsat's direct-to-cable platform KabelKiosk which currently serve operators of the so called network level 4 with TV packages.