FreeHD Canada

[DK_Sat]

FreeHD Canada
February 11, 2010


FreeHD Canada has won limited approval from the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The company plans to offer a free package of local channels to customers who purchase the satellite receiver equipment.

The service says it will over more than 200 HD channels starting in 2011. Long time Canadian satellite veteran David Lewis is founder of the FreeHD Canada service.

 

[DK_Sat]

2/8/2010
CANADIAN RTC Approves FreeHD


The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has approved “in part” applications to operate a national direct-to-home (DTH) satellite distribution undertaking and a national satellite relay distribution undertaking (SRDU).

FreeHD Canada wants to provide programming services (mostly Canadian content) to subscribers in both anglophone customers and francophone markets.

As well, it says it wants to distribute all conventional television stations that meet a certain threshold based on the number of hours per week of local programming, and it has positioned itself as a way to ‘save local TV’ if successful.

The CRTC says it is “supportive of initiatives intended to ensure that Canadians do not lose access to free conventional television services” when the digital transition comes to Canada.

The CRTC says it supports in principle the offering of a package of local conventional television signals at no monthly charge to the viewers, and is predisposed to take the necessary steps to permit this to occur.

But, the CTRC noted, it is already looking at other policies and procedures relating to local programming and funding mechanisms, so a decision about FreeHD’s plans would be “premature”.

The CRTC calls for amended applications and specific authorizations to help address such issue, and it noted that licence approval will be subject to general and specific conditions going forward.

 

[funkypc]

http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-ai...poses-new-freesat-service-13.html#post2101088

 

[Larobpra]

As one who lives close to the border and currently receives more Canadian than US TV, I'll be watching how this develops and hope those of us close by will be in the footprint or spotbeam.

 

[Islandguy43]

As one who lives close to the border and currently receives more Canadian than US TV, I'll be watching how this develops and hope those of us close by will be in the footprint or spotbeam.

I can second that. Especially since I have relatives with all kinds of canadian addresses to use after I purchase the equipment.

 

[goaliebob99]

I would think Chicago would be in the footprint, so I'm waiting to see how this pans out too.

 

[SatboyZ]

Don't want to get anyones hopes up, but...

Their website has not been updated in over 6 months. Also, Bell proposed something like this a while ago, was approved also, and has done nothing with it. Fee for carriage is a mess that still has to be figured out as well.

Steve

 

[funkypc]

There website was updated last after the December 10th CRTC hearing.

 

[SatboyZ]

Sorry, I meant 6 weeks...

you would think that for a company trying to generate some interest in their product that they would have updated soon after approval.

Steve

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2010-61

 

[zamar23]

I would guess, it will offer only a limited sub-choice of its packages for free, they will be ad heavy & content light (movie wise in particular), and due to standards (or whatever) upgrades will require periodic new equipment purchase, including newer dish sets and STBs. Actually, they can move broadcast to newer sats & freqs periodically or offer more features to viewers to trigger equipment upgrade any time.

 

[tds04]

I would guess, it will offer only a limited sub-choice of its packages for free, they will be ad heavy & content light (movie wise in particular), and due to standards (or whatever) upgrades will require periodic new equipment purchase, including newer dish sets and STBs. Actually, they can move broadcast to newer sats & freqs periodically or offer more features to viewers to trigger equipment upgrade any time.

Why? Elaborate please.

 

[zamar23]

To stay afloat and get rich like Dick. Hard to figure out? Its not a charity undertaking - or is it? Especially given only 30 Mln viewers - not that much of ad revenue expected. Why D* brothers upgrade their receivers all the time?

 

[Islandguy43]

Why? Elaborate please.

Is it a given that cbc & ctv are gonna stop broadcasting ota, even digitially? If not, then a good ota antenna might do the trick.

 

[tds04]

I have an ota antenna but 15 to 20 channels is more than i have ever received.

 

[classicsat]

I would guess, it will offer only a limited sub-choice of its packages for free, they will be ad heavy & content light (movie wise in particular), and due to standards (or whatever) upgrades will require periodic new equipment purchase, including newer dish sets and STBs. Actually, they can move broadcast to newer sats & freqs periodically or offer more features to viewers to trigger equipment upgrade any time.

Their intent is to only provide "your" locals free. Anything else is pay, even the EPG on the receiver. They will not create content or a channel at all, beyond a promo channel as most providers do. Their intent, at least for the free packages, is to simply provide existing broadcast channels. What and how they schedule programming is up to them.

Yes, hardware costs are totally bore by the viewer. They would want to launch with as state of the are equipment as the can, so they don't have to change out their uplink gear, or customer gear.

Is it a given that cbc & ctv are gonna stop broadcasting ota, even digitially? If not, then a good ota antenna might do the trick.

In major centers and the provincial and national capital regions, they are obligated to go digital by or on the analog shut-off date. Outside of those markets, there is no clear obligation to go digital, but there is to turn off analog. FreeSatHD wishes to leverage that by becoming the digital transmitter for those stations not wishing to upgrade their own transmitter to digital.

If you are within 100 miles or so of one of those markets obligated to go digital, you could set up an antenna to get them directly.

 

[zamar23]

Thanks. It sounds a too expensive way for a viewer to add free OTA channels via Sat. But if one leaves far and away, it me be the right choice for some, unless a basic BEV sub with free gear will look more attractive. Its a questionable pleasure for many to buy a new STB each year, except may be for STB tester hobbyists. I'd say that their current declared intent to stay with the same gear or sub scheme forever is not relevant since profit reality check is due further along the road. A fair assumption would be BEV will drop sub fees when time comes to keep the field "clean" of competitors.