DirecTV plans 4K launch for 2016


Details

Michelle Clancy

| 02 December 2015




US satellite pay-TV giant DirecTV plans to launch a 4K service early in 2016.



DirecTV’s Phil Goswitz, SVP, video & space communications, told delegates at the TranSPORT conference in New York that the carrier had the capacity to launch 50 Ultra HD channels today at 30Mbps, on top of its normal portfolio of HD and SD channels, and confirmed that the company was trialling service.

“I think the belief that there are technology challenges is a bit of a misinformed myth,” he said. “I think technology throughout the entire ecosystem is ready. But I think content is king; the plane is ready to take off and there is no king on board. So we are moving into working with partners who are enthusiastic about it and we are bringing our cheque books.”

He added: “40% of people are going to have UHD TVs coming out of Christmas, and they are going to be looking for something to watch. Our goal is to have them tuned to DirecTV and have as much linear live content, especially sports content, as soon as possible.”

DirecTV made it easier for more customers to watch Ultra HD programming in August with the launch of a new set-top box (STB).

DirecTV launched 4K/Ultra HD programming in November 2014 through its Genie HD DVR, which is currently in millions of customers' homes.