Just a year after agreeing to implement IPTV using technology through Alcatel and Microsoft, Denmark’s TDC has launched its services, in reach of 1.6 million households.
Alcatel-Lucent did the services integration for the system which will launch with 35 TV channels, an electronic program guide, digital video recorder, and access to 200 movie titles on demand. The network is said to be HDTV-ready but no HD services are currently being delivered over it.
Denmark’s TDC was acquired just prior to the decision to take on the IPTV project by private equity players Apax, The Blackstone Group, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Permira, and Providence Equity Partners creating the Nordic Telephone company to acquire it.
TDC has long been a fan of Alcatel, and it had been playing with IPTV technology for over 18 months before the announcement. Denmark has one of the highest levels of broadband penetration in Europe, and because of this TDC has been saying it will do IPTV since 2003. TDC already owns its own cable TV operation and wants to harmonize services across both cable and IPTV.