Belgacom begins online TV catch-up trial

Belgian telco Belgacom has started trialling TV Replay, a new service that will let Belgacom TV customers watch programmes up to 36 hours after they’ve been broadcast on their TV, computer, tablet or smartphone.

Belgacom is inviting 10,000 Dutch-speaking Belgacom TV customers living in Flanders or Brussels to test TV Replay+ for free from the end of November. This follows an agreement Belgacom struck with the main Flemish media groups VMMa, VRT and SBS Belgium.

A full commercial launch for the service, which will make it available to all Belgacom TV customers, is scheduled for 2014.

Belgacom is testing two versions of the service: TV Replay, which gives catch-up access to programmes aired in the past 36 hours; and TV Replay+, which offers this, along with the option to fast-forward through a chosen programme.

During the test phase, TV Replay+ will be available with the main Flemish channels – Eén, Eén HD, Canvas, Canvas HD, Ketnet/OP-12, VIER, VIER HD, VIJF, VIJF HD, VTM, VTM HD, 2BE, 2BE HD, Vitaya, JIM, anne and VTMKZOOM. TV Replay is also available for the Belgacom TV sports channels Belgacom zoom/11, Belgacom 11+ and Belgacom 5.