Tele Columbus launches new hybrid Android TV service for cable

Source: Tele Columbus

German cable operator Tele Columbus is launching a new TV and streaming platform under its PŸUR brand using a hybrid Android TV-based set-top box.

Telel Columbus says that its PŸUR TV HD offering combines live TV and on-demand, with an intuitive user interface and the maximum possible flexibility.

In addition to integrating live and on-demand programming via the cable connection, the service includes premium functions such as restart and seven-day catch-up TV, with popular channels including public broadcasters, the RTL Group’s channels, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group’s channels and other channels from PŸUR’s pay TV packages available on a timeshifted basis.

The offering provides access to the channels’ media libraries and the Google Playstore offers a selection of major streaming providers.

Tele Columbus says that the offering’s hybrid design – meaning the combination of cable television and streamed content – offers advantages over pure IPTV. These include stable TV playback in the best HD picture quality, low latency during live broadcasts and fast channel changes.

The service offers improved user navigation. Individual recommendations from the TV channels and from most installed streaming providers on the homepage, a cross-provider search function and voice control, according to the operator.

Popular apps from Netflix, RTL+, Prime Video and Disney+ as well as YouTube are preinstalled. Corresponding customer subscriptions can be integrated into PŸUR TV HD immediately.

The PŸUR TV box comes from Sagemcom and come with four DVB-C tuners, gigabit LAN and WiFi 6 (802.11 ax).

Tele Columbus has adopted an open-source Android TV platform that it next year will use to deploy apps for playback on mobile devices inside and outside the home network as well as an external hard drive for storing users’ own recordings.

Tele Columbus is also promoting a coordinated smart speaker with Dolby Atmos, whose sound technology was developed together with Band & Olufsen

PŸUR TV HD is initially available with six free months for all new customers. After that, it costs €12.99 per month. The basic cable connection and the HDTV option are included. The TV offering includes up to 94 programs, 73 of which are in HD. Users must pay €4.99 per month for the hardware. The minimum contract period is 24 months. The TV product can then be canceled at any time within one month.

As of today, PŸUR TV HD is being offered to new customers or those who have not yet purchased an HDTV product from PŸUR. From February 2024, existing customers will also be able to switch to PŸUR TV HD.

“With PŸUR TV HD we create real added value for our customers. Best cable television quality in HD and limitless variety of time-sovereign content. Everything is controlled via a fabulously intuitive user interface. PŸUR TV HD does not differentiate whether content comes via cable or the Internet. What remains is a new, extremely positive TV experience – exclusively for PŸUR customers,” said Jochen Busch, Chief Consumer Officer at Tele Columbus.