Tele Columbus to launch VoD service

German cable operator Tele Columbus is to launch a transactional video-on-demand service in partnership with Tele München Group and Vubiquity joint-venture On Demand Deutschland.

The deal with On Demand Deutshland will give Tele Columbus access to Hollywood blockbusters and independent films on a day-and-date basis with their BluRay or DVD release data.

The Tele Columbus on-demand service will include movies from 20^Th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Universal and Paramount Pictures and independent films from the likes of Tele München Group, Constantin and StudioCanal.

Tele Columbus said it is currently field-testing an on-demand interface that would closely merge VoD and TV apps with linear content. The new service will be available across multiple screens via apps as well as to the main TV screen. The operator said that its new advanced set-top box, due to launch before the end of this year, would enable the distribution of 4K content on-demand.

The move will bring Tele Columbus into line with rivals Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom’s Entertain service, both of which already provide video-on-demand.