NTL to launch channel on SKY

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NTL, the UK cable company, is understood to be launching a new shopping channel on sky digital to sell its broadband services – in an attempt to poach customers from rival BSkyB. Broadband World TV is expected to launch around the end of February, and will broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The move marks NTL’s most aggressive strategy yet for acquiring new subscribers following its financial difficulties of the last few years. Although the channel will be promoting a rival pay-television operator to sky digital, BSkyB must allow the channel on digital satellite as a regulated open platform. NTL already operates two promotional channels, Channel NTL and NTL Buy, on its own digital network. The presenter-led channels are focused on upselling NTL subscribers to premium packages of telephony, broadband or television. It is thought that the sky digital channel is seen as an obvious extension of this, but that it will look to acquire new customers to NTL from sky digital.