Vodafone looking at UK TV launch ‘later in calendar 2016’

Vittorio Colao

Vodafone’s CEO Vittorio Colao last week said the telco will launch its much-delayed UK TV service “later in calendar 2016”, without giving further details.

Speaking on a conference call with analysts after Vodafone released its results at the end of last week, Colao said that the addition of a TV product would enable Vodafone to compete more effectively against BT, which he said would be expected to step up its efforts against multi-play competitors following its acquisition of EE.

Following the launch by Vodafone of its UK fixed-line high-speed broadband offering in August, there was speculation that the much-anticipated UK TV service would launch in November. When it unveiled its second-quarter financial results in November, the company said the TV service would launch in the fourth quarter of its 2016 financial year, implying a launch by March at the latest. Vodafone launched a TV service in Ireland in January.