Jason Dunn
08-25-2004, 01:00 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,117527,tk,dn082404X,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,117527,tk,dn082404X,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Microsoft has turned to a Swiss telecommunication operator for the first commercial trial of its system that delivers television signals to consumers over a broadband telecommunications network, it announced this week. Beginning in September, Swisscom's Internet service provider subsidiary Bluewin will deliver 25 TV channels to set top boxes in 600 homes. During the four-month trial, testers will have access to five pay-TV channels and a video-on-demand service through the set top boxes, which also function as a digital video recorder with a live pause function, Microsoft says. Testers will have to pay for the service: $12 per month for 12 channels, or $19 for all 25, with pay-per-view films costing from $2 to $8 each. Microsoft expects the trial to result in the launch of a Bluewin TV service over ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) in 2005, it says."</i><br /><br />It makes sense to test something like this in a smaller market - work out the bugs, test the waters, see how consumers will react. Does anyone here see broadband-based TV in their future?