YES TELEVISION AND CAT SIGN FOR TOTAL TELEVISION

UK COMPANY Yes Television, broadband solutions providers for interactive television, have signed an agreement with CableandTelecoms (CaT) to form a new company, Total Television Australia.
The company plans to be the first to roll out interactive digital television services, including video on demand (VOD) and internet to television services, across Australia and New Zealand.
Total Television Australia will offer their customers true VOD, enabling viewers to select and watch their favourite programmes in an instant. Viewers will be able to pause, rewind or fast forward a programme in the same way as a video tape with unlimited plays. VOD is planned to be combined with enhanced TV Internet, TV e-commerce and broadcast television channels on standard television sets.
Chairman and Chief Executive of Yes Television, Thomas Kressner, (pictured) said: “Australia is a very exciting market and Australians are well known for embracing new technology. Yes Television are at the forefront of using broadband internet technology for interactive television and we look forward to being one of the first to deliver high quality, on-demand services with our partner CaT, to Australian customers. This partnership is part of our strategy to roll out our services internationally.”
Yes Television will supply Total Television Australia with an end-to-end solution including content, software, management of the service and interface design. CaT will provide a range of services including network access arrangements, sales and administration support and introduction of alliance partners. Total Television Australia will be 80 per cent owned by CaT and 20 per cent owned by Yes Television.
The scheduled timeframe for the trial service is in the first quarter of 2001 in Melbourne to be followed by a progressive rollout to the rest of Australia and New Zealand.