Digital cable TV service to offer 70 channels

Cable TV viewers will have plenty to feast their eyes on in the new year as Melita Cable prepares to unveil its new digital cable service, a boosted package comprising over 70 channels.

However, the cable company would not divulge the additional cost consumers would have to pay for the new service, which comes on line in the first quarter of next year. Company chairman Joe Gasan did however assure clients it would be "affordable". Speaking at a news conference yesterday, Mr Gasan described the Lm26 million venture as a milestone for the company he has been steering for the past 12 years.

Thanks to the digital service, Melita Cable will provide its customers with an enhanced picture and stereo sound quality (when available).

It is anticipated that the channel line-up in the digital package will consist of over 70 channels, up from the existing 55 channels available to Family Pack customers. The choice of new programmes will meet the demands of every customer, from films to documentaries to music.

Sports enthusiasts will be spoilt for choice as the new digital sports channels would be expanded to include up to six live feeds instead of the current two. This increase will give Melita the opportunity to show nearly all the English Premiership and Italian Serie A matches.

Those interested in music also have a great deal to choose from with two channels dedicated to digital radio programmes. In total, 47 different digital radio programmes will be available once the digital set up becomes available.

Although the service will be officially launched in the first quarter of next year, Melita will start receiving pre-bookings from December.

Mr Gasan explained that clients would have the option to either remain with the current analogue set-up or else choose to migrate to digital. Should they opt for the latter, they would only need to change their decoder and no rewiring would be necessary. Customers do not need to update to modern, hi-tech television sets.

He added that the introduction of digital TV will be followed up by interactive TV though this was not on the cards for the beginning of next year.

"We've been investing time, effort and resources to launch this project. We will revolutionise television as we know it today," a confident Mr Gasan said.