[SatNews] Three leading European free-to-air (FTA) satellite TV operators—Fransat (France), Freesat (UK), and Tivùsat (Italy) – have come together to form the FreeTV Alliance.
In the first collaboration of its kind, the Alliance aims to promote the harmonization of satellite TV services and technology across Europe. This will help drive the continuing rollout of compelling free-to-view satellite TV, benefitting viewers, manufacturers, broadcasters, retailers and service providers. The satellite TV operators have formed the FreeTV Alliance to make it easier and more economical for manufacturers to develop innovative new products and to assist broadcasters and content providers to deploy advanced hybrid TV services combining satellite reception and IP based interactivity. To achieve these goals, the Alliance will produce common recommendations and specifications based on open standards that will apply across set-top boxes and smart TVs in the European market. The FreeTV Alliance members will also work together to establish preferred technologies and common understandings for multiscreen TV solutions.
Announcing the launch of the Alliance at IBC 2014, Alberto Sigismondi, CEO of TivuSat and the first Chair of the FreeTV Alliance, said, “Until now, the major free-to-view satellite TV operators have focused on building a business within their national boundaries. As the TV and consumer electronics industries become increasingly globalized, now is the right time for us to work together to ensure free-to-view satellite remains at the forefront of the television market.
“The FreeTV Alliance’s priorities include providing concrete help, support and advice to manufacturers so they can more easily include satellite technology into their devices, which in turn will allow operators to offer an even more competitive service to consumers. We will be able to combine our collective resources to deliver the best customer experience whilst minimizing costs to manufacturers and so act as a collective group to agree upon common standards and features.”
The FreeTV Alliance’s objective is to remove technology complexities, and help manufacturers to drive innovation and create better television services for European satellite free TV viewers. The founding members of the alliance are highly experienced in delivering quality television services in their home countries, both across linear and on-demand viewing. In addition they all have long histories of working directly with consumer electronics manufacturers to provide consumers with a range of high quality devices that deliver a superior customer viewing experience.
To learn more about the FreeTV Alliance, please go to https://www.freetva.tv
