TEF O2 CR has rolled-out self-install IPTV CPEs to ramp-up take-up rates of the service offering. The new CPEs eliminate the need for technicians and the 2-week wait for the service.
Our view:
This news is neutral, nonethless we believe that longer-term, viability of new services like IPTV is critical in reversing the deterioration in the core fixed telephony business. IPTV is gaining popularity in the Czech market primarily for Video on Demand (VOD), and now boasts 20,000 subscribers. Other alternative operators like Czech On Line and Ceske Radiokomunikace are preparing to launch similar products this year. This product competes with offers from cable TV companies, like UPC, which have approximately 800,000 subscribers.