Sky Italia is at odds with Italy's other main television players over how the government's new subsidy scheme for integrated digital television sets [idTVs] should operate.
Italy's association for the development of digital terrestrial television, DGTVi, wants the subsidy to be available only for idTVs that contain interactive television software and include upgradeable common interface slots.[...]
Sky Italia would not comment directly on the issue, but said:"Sky Italia is against a subsidy that encourages one kind of technology instead of another. That's why it is so important that the subsidy should be platform neutral.
Augusto Preta, general manager at Rome-based consultancy ITMedia Consulting, said that the subsidy would not necessarily apply only to digital terrestrial id TVs.
He pointed out that Telecom Italia was intersted in adopting the DGTVi model for cable idTVs, as was broadband operator Fastweb for IPTV. "If they see that cable or IPTV can take advantage of this subsidy, they could approve this measure", he said.
"Cable and DTT are opern platforms, while Sky is a closed platform. So it's Sky's problem, not that of the other platforms".
Italy's association for the development of digital terrestrial television, DGTVi, wants the subsidy to be available only for idTVs that contain interactive television software and include upgradeable common interface slots.[...]
Sky Italia would not comment directly on the issue, but said:"Sky Italia is against a subsidy that encourages one kind of technology instead of another. That's why it is so important that the subsidy should be platform neutral.
Augusto Preta, general manager at Rome-based consultancy ITMedia Consulting, said that the subsidy would not necessarily apply only to digital terrestrial id TVs.
He pointed out that Telecom Italia was intersted in adopting the DGTVi model for cable idTVs, as was broadband operator Fastweb for IPTV. "If they see that cable or IPTV can take advantage of this subsidy, they could approve this measure", he said.
"Cable and DTT are opern platforms, while Sky is a closed platform. So it's Sky's problem, not that of the other platforms".
New Media Markets, January 12, 2007
