SouthTel Push VOD:TV launch delayed again: Report
SouthTel has pushed back the launch date of its video-on-demand (VOD) service until early 2012, and according to a report on Channel24 plans, to launch with 150 hours of HD content per month.
The launch of Push VOD:TV had already been delayed once before in September 2011 when SouthTel revealed that they had decided to aim for Q4 2011 rather than a September 2011 launch.
Oscar Dube, CEO of SouthTel, said then that they “just want to make sure our product is functioning 100%” before making it commercially available.
According to the Channel24 report, “insiders” said that part of the reason for the delay was the problems experienced by MultiChoice’s VOD service, Dstv BoxOffice, on its commercial launch day.
Dube previously explained to MyBroadband that its Push:VOD service will function similarly to DStv BoxOffice by sending content to a PVR (personal video recorder) decoder overnight in spare satellite capacity. Old content will be removed weekly to make space for newer programmes.
One technical aspect where the VOD:TV is set to differ from BoxOffice is in its support for various billing mechanisms.
DStv BoxOffice requires subscribers to send an SMS to a 5-digit number to complete a transaction. Dube said that this will be one of the options on VOD:TV, but they will also offer the option of a monthly subscription, and placing your order directly from the PVR by connecting it to the Internet.
SouthTel isn’t willing to disclose specifics about the pricing of its offering, Channel24 reported, saying only that it will be cheaper than currently available subscription services.
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