Netherlands: Lijbrandt Telecom, Amino Begin HD IPTV
Dutch phone firm Lijbrandt Telecom has started up an HD IPTV service ("HDIP TV") using set-top boxes made by Amino, of Cambridge, England.
Lijbrandt Telecom's current HDIP TV platform features about 50 channels, including three HD offerings. The BBC will add three American HD channels in the fall: Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and National Geographic HD. Lijbrandt said in a statement its service includes a "missed-a-program" service, which is a VOD option for mostly noncommercial programs such as news.
Like some North American firms, the Internet protocol HD service is being branded by Lijbrandt Telecom as a "triple play" package: online access, television, and telephony services all delivered through a single broadband connection.
Lijbrandt Telecom said it is investing up to €200m ($254.8 million) to develop the diversified IP service and projects growth to 120,000 subs by 2009.
