Q&A: Tomasz Żurański, Vectra

Tomasz Zuranski

Tomasz Żurański, CEO and president of Polish operator Vectra, discusses the company’s strategy and some of the big issues facing the cable industry today.

What do you think are the key challenges facing the European cable industry in 2016? 

Linear pay TV as a declining product is one challenge – mainly due to changing customer habits and newcomers who make the competition tenser.

How much of a risk is posed by over-the-top (OTT) content providers like Netflix and does it make sense for operators to partner with these kinds of services?

OTT certainly might be a part of the problem for linear TV. Nonetheless, each market is, to some extent, unique and requires a different approach. In general I strongly believe that for both sides cooperation is a much more promising option.

What is the strategy behind Vectra’s new SVOD service Filmklub? Will this help Vectra to reach new audiences?

Filmklub is only part of our wider strategy for TV Everywhere and VOD, which is intended mostly to increase customer convenience and satisfaction – at least in the short term perspective.

How important is content investment for operators in 2016?

Big investments in content, especially in exclusive rights, are not an obvious choice. Especially for small and medium sized operators. However, it is an asset that no one can ignore.

Do cable operators risk becoming ‘dumb pipes’ for other companies’ content?

It depends. I believe operators are accommodating to changes. However some support from EU would be appreciated.

What measures would you like to see brought in from a regulatory point of view to help the future development of the cable industry – both in Poland and in Europe more generally?

Governments, [and the] EU should somehow protect companies – namely cable and telecommunication operators – that heavily invest in infrastructure and enable other players to offer their services via the internet.

In today’s market how important is it for cable operators today to also offer mobile and quad play options?

Mobile matters, especially in the context of transactions like the joint venture between UPC and Vodafone in the Netherlands. The market will evolve in that direction, it is just a matter of time.