TalkTalk TV is a
UK-based consumer
television and
video on demand service, operated by
TalkTalk.
The service, originally known as Homechoice, was provided by Video Networks Limited (VNL), based in Shepherd's Bush in west London, until it was purchased by Tiscali UK in August 2006, and became known as Tiscali TV as of 1 March 2007. On 30 June 2009, a deal for The Carphone Warehouse to purchase all the assets of Tiscali UK for its TalkTalk division was approved by the European Union. The service was rebranded under the TalkTalk name on 7 January 2010.
Its offering is delivered over a BT phone line, using ADSL to provide a triple-play package of IPTV, video on demand, telephony and internet access. In 2003, as Homechoice, it expanded its video services to include, via its IPTV platform, the majority of live channels that are available on the Freeview platform.
Access
Access to the channels and the
VOD is via a self branded
set-top box that is connected to the customer's
television set, rather than via the customer's
computer. The latest set-top box features an
aerial socket and a
DVB-T receiver to allow the customer to receive additional channels via the
Freeview platform as well as the channels received over
IPTV, subject to Freeview coverage and quality of reception. A
wireless router for internet access that connects to the set-top box is now also provided as standard.
TalkTalk+
TalkTalk offers 'TalkTalk+' (formerly Tiscali+), a 160 GB hard-drive
Digital Video Recorder, which holds an approximate total of 50 hours of television and also acts as a replacement for the standard set-top box. The TalkTalk+ box has two
DVB-T tuners and one
IPTV tuner. This means the customer can simultaneously record up to three separate channels, provided that two of the channels are being received via
Freeview and the third via
IPTV. As the box has only one IPTV tuner, it is only possible to record or watch one IPTV channel at a time. TalkTalk+ is available subject to a one-off payment and a twelve-month contract or contract renewal.
Service area
TalkTalk TV was, until recently, only available in parts of
London,
Surrey and
Hertfordshire. Each telephone exchange must be adapted to supply the service and roll-out has been completed mostly throughout London with patchy coverage extending elsewhere. Since September 2007 areas such as Central and Northern England are now TalkTalk TV enabled. Around 680 telephone exchanges are now Tiscali LLU enabled, mostly in London, Manchester, the Midlands and Yorkshire and a spattering throughout the rest of the country. TalkTalk aims to reach near-national coverage in the coming years, of which 10 million homes by the end of 2008.
TV Services
The majority of standard UK channels (more than 60) are available, such as
E4 and
ITV2, as well as premium channels such as
G.O.L.D. and
National Geographic Channel, depending on the selected package and corresponding price paid per month.
A wide selection of video on demand is also available, depending on the selected package. All customers have access to a channel-specific 'catch up' service which allows customers to view a selection of programmes up to seven days after they were initially broadcast, with on-screen controls available to play/pause or skip through the programme. Channels with the catch up service are: BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, FX, E4, More4, BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC Channel and CBeebies. All catch up programmes available can also be accessed from channel 989.
On 13 February 2007, HBO announced its new VOD service was to become available on Tiscali TV.
British Sky Broadcasting announced that it was to supply Tiscali TV with its 'basics' package of channels: Sky1, Sky2, Sky3, Sky Arts, Sky News and Sky Sports News.
These channels became available in the Tiscali TV variety pack on Tuesday 28 August 2007.
The current TalkTalk TV packages are:
Variety pack (all customers): access to the standard TV and radio channels (including basic Sky channels), seven-day catch up service, pay per view films from Movies Now and Film 4 On Demand, 'taste' of C1 video on demand
Entertainment xtra mix: access to an additional fifteen TV channels, additional VOD channels, full access to C1 VOD
Music mix: access to 11 interactive On Demand V:MX music channels, additional music channels
Kids mix: access to additional children's channels and VOD, 'minimote' (children's television remote control) provided
Bollywood and South Asian TV subscription: access to Bollywood movies and music videos on demand, additional channels Zee TV and Sony Entertainment Television Asia
Picturebox subscription: access to movies on demand from NBC Universal
Disney Cinemagic subscription: access to the Disney Cinemagic channel
Sky Movies subscription: access to five Sky Movies channels: (Comedy, Family, Sci-fi and Horror, Classics, Modern Greats)
Sky Sports subscription: access to four Sky Sports channels: (1, 2, 3, 4)
ESPN subscription: access to two ESPN channels: (ESPN, ESPN America)
Chelsea TV subscription: access to the Chelsea TV channel, focusing on Chelsea FC
Adult pack - choice of subscriptions to access the following video on demand channels: trade.tv, The Lovers' Guide, Playboy TV, The Adult Channel and Spice Extreme
List of channels
See also
TalkTalk
References
External links
TalkTalk TV
TalkTalk official website
TV
Category:Media companies of the United Kingdom
Category:Digital television
