The German satellite TV market is on the move. With launch of Diveo, a new proposition is created that will compete for the attention of the approximately 17 million German households receiving their TV offer via satellite (ASTRA 19.2°East).
Diveo has been developed by Luxembourg-based M7 Group, one of Europe’s leading pay-TV operators already active in six European markets.
From today, German satellite TV households looking for something more compelling than a free, basic TV service will have an alternative choice. In contrast to existing TV providers in the German market, Diveo offers significantly more: as a hybrid platform, Diveo combines the quality advantages of satellite TV infrastructure with the strengths of the internet.
Under the slogan “Diveo macht TV unverpassbar”, it offers access to up to 70 TV channels in brilliant HD quality, a growing number of TV program catch-up libraries – more than 30 as of its launch – and a video-on-demand (VOD) library. Furthermore, various interactive applications such as Pause TV, restart TV and cloud recording will ensure that programs can be watched at any time. Moreover, smart app technology will make content available everywhere – on TV, tablet, smartphone and on the Web – in an intuitive manner and without the need for channel search. For those who want even more, Diveo provides access to more than 20 premium channels, available anytime, anywhere and on any device.
“Diveo takes consumer into a new TV experience” – With the launch of Diveo, M7 has introduced a TV product that is tailored to the needs and changing habits of today’s TV consumer. “Linear TV still represents a large portion of the current TV consumption. However, there is growing demand for video on demand and IP-based interactive services. And at the same time, consumers are increasingly tapping into TV content via smartphones and tablets,” says Oliver Rockstein, Executive Vice President of the M7 Group and responsible for Diveo. “Consumers of today and tomorrow expect content to be seamless available in brilliant picture quality; anytime, anywhere – whether it’s a linear TV channel, library content, recorded and stored programs, or VoD. In short, Diveo’s vision is to take our customers into a brand-new TV experience,” says Rockstein.
“Diveo: one platform, three packages” – Diveo will be available in three different versions. Customers who opt for the “Erlebnis Paket” can access programming from more than 50 HD channels for €7.90 per month, including all public German channels in HD quality as well as the most popular private channels RTL HD, Pro 7 Sat.1 HD, Vox HD, RTL II HD, Eurosport 1 HD, Sport 1 HD und Nitro HD. These customers also have access to interactive applications such as restart TV, Pause TV, cloud recording and access to more than 30 catch-up TV libraries. Moreover, the Diveo TV app allows customers to decide whether to enjoy this content on their HD or Ultra-HD TV in the living room, on a second device in the bedroom, or on a tablet or smartphone.
The “Entdecker Paket”, which costs €11.90 per month, provides customers with above services as well as access to three premium channels, with the option to change the selection every month. Satellite TV households choosing the “Vielfalt Paket” for €16.90 per month will have access to above mentioned packages as well as more than 20 premium channels such as FOX HD, Sony Entertainment TV HD, Universal Channel HD, SyFy HD and Planet HD. An overview of all digital services can be found on the website www.diveo.de. Satellite TV households that want to take advantage of Diveo’s hybrid offering can register online from today at www.diveo.de. For early bookers, every Diveo package will be available for 0 euros per month until 30 April 2018 including a 30-day trial period.
“Diveo hardware: Set-Top-Box or CI Module” – Diveo’s in-house developed Set-To-Box (STB) is suitable for all standard televisions and shall be connected by LAN to the internet to benefit from all interactive features. In addition, Diveo can also be enjoyed via a CI+ module to be inserted into a Smart TV. To be able to use Diveo’s numerous digital functions via the Smart TV, the customer needs to access the Diveo Smart TV app. The first Diveo Smart TV app is specifically designed for Samsung devices and will be made available shortly, followed by tailored versions for other manufacturers.
“Retail: important Diveo sales partner” – “Even in times of digitization, we know that retailers play an important – if not decisive – role in the market success of TV products.” says Rockstein. “We are therefore very pleased with the high retail interest for Diveo. We have already reached an agreement with most of our major retail partners and expect to be available in stores in March, in addition to online distribution.”
“M7 Group: the company behind Diveo” – Diveo is a product of Luxembourg-based M7 Group, one of European’s leading pay-TV companies active in six European countries. In Germany and Austria, M7 is the leading provider of TV entertainment for cable and IP networks. For the cable business, M7 operates an independent and fully integrated digital programming and service platform and has established itself as the fourth-largest platform in the German market. “Our experience in the satellite and consumer business in other European countries makes us well prepared for the next step. Germany is the largest European TV market and thus quite attractive. The market data suggest there will be a lot of interest for Diveo. Entering the German consumer market with a technically strong, user-centered platform provides us with great confidence for a successful launch,” says Hans Troelstra, CEO of M7 Group.
