[London, ENGLAND] Interactive games channel Two Way TV
is ready to launch in Portugal with cable
operator TV Cabo, the two companies announced Monday.
The new Portuguese service will make Two Way TV the
first interactive TV service in the world to be deployed
across every key middleware platform, including
Microsoft TV, Liberate, OpenTV and Mediahighway.
TV Cabo intends to use the Microsoft TV platform to
add interactive games to its existing offerings which
include Internet broadband access, t-commerce and other
enhanced television capabilities. Operations will
begin with a pilot phase followed by a commercial
roll-out in the second quarter 2001.
“Initially we will provide a selection of our most popular
games but there is an understanding between Two Way TV
and TV Cabo to move to a richer service as quickly as
possible as their network continues to develop,” said
Two Way TV Head of International Sales and Development
Jean de Fougerolles.
Over time, added de Fougerolles, the service may include
enhanced television shows.
According to Andrew Adamyk, Microsoft TV Europe director
of content programmes, TV Cabo is in the forefront of
providing broadband interactive services via set-top boxes
to digital cable viewers in Europe.
“We see games as a ‘must have’ part of an interactive
television service,” said Adamyk, pointing out that
Two Way TV is the first company to develop enhanced
television games in which viewers can play-along at home
with their favourite games shows while they are being
broadcast.
Based in the U.K., Two Way TV Ltd. was started in 1992
and is backed by cable operator NTL and The Hilton Group,
owners of the Ladbrokes betting and entertainment company.
Already available to NTL and Telewest digital cable
subscribers, its interactive service is scheduled to
go on to the ONdigital broadcast platform in spring
2001.
Now a worldwide operation, Two Way TV runs Two Way TV
Australia on the Austar satellite service and has
established a joint venture with Interactive Network Inc.
in the U.S. and Canada.
