Slovakia’s Towercom launches HbbTV-based platform

Slovakian transmission services provider Towercom has launched a new HbbTV-based TV platform, Otta.

Ivan Peschl

The new service will enable viewers to watch seven-day catch-up TV and a time-shift functionality that enables viewers to play back programmes in the last 24 hours, as well as archive movies and TV series. The service will be available on the web as well as via HbbTV-enabled TVs and decoders.

Viewers without HbbTV-enabled TVs will be able to access the service by buying an Alma iHD set-top box for around €65. Owners of Samsung and LG smart TVs will be able to access Otta by downloading apps. In addition to apps for iOS and Android devices, the service will be available on the web via the otta.sk site.

Otta TV will be available for €4.99 a month for subscribers signing up for a year, and for €5.99 for one month only. There are currently five channels available – Joj, Plus, Wau, Jednotka and Dvojka – along with seven-day catch-up and an archive of around 600 movie titles including The Circle, Paddington, The Wolf of Wall Street and The King’s Speech.

Towercom announced earlier this month that it had teamed up with commercial broadcaster Joj to launch an HbbTV service. Towercom CEO Ivan Peschl said that the service would enable digital-terrestrial TV to compete with rival platforms.