Telewest's VOD service launches in Bristol

Updated: 17:13

Telewest has launched a movies on demand service from FilmFlex on its digital cable system in the Bristol area. The FilmFlex service is supported by a joint venture between Sony Pictures, Disney, and the On Demand Group. The On Demand Group operates the NVOD (near video on demand) movies service, Front Row.

Screenshots of the new service are now here.

The launch comes on the same day that Britain's biggest cable operator, NTL, also rolled out a video on demand service to customers in Glasgow. Both operators are planning to accelerate the rollout of their respective VOD services during 2005.

"We’re transforming TV as we know it by launching a truly on-demand movie service, with DVD functionality," said Eric Tveter, president and COO at Telewest. "And this is only the first step - we plan to ramp up our TV-on-demand services over the year with additional TV, music and niche content to appeal to all of our one million digital TV customers.

"This new service puts consumers in control, giving them the freedom to watch the movies they want, whenever they want to watch them. It’s simply the easiest way to enjoy a movie and there’s no need to visit the video store, miss the end of a film or pay late fees ever again."

"After three years in development, FilmFlex is delighted that this initiative has resulted in a stunning, breakthrough VOD service for cable viewers in the UK," said Andy Birchall, chairman of the On Demand Group. "FilmFlex is the first UK movies on demand service to have the backing of two major Hollywood entertainment companies behind it, which combined with content from other major and independent film studios, will deliver a top quality consumer experience."

At present, Telewest's VOD service is a pure movies on demand service, although the company's future plans to include other types of content as outlined by Mr. Tveter above closely resemble already-unveiled details of NTL's VOD service. Further rollouts of VOD services on Telewest are expected to start in the summer. NTL is planning to gradually roll out its VOD service beyond Glasgow in the coming months.

VOD services enable viewers to pause, rewind and fast-forward programmes available from a menu. VOD is, however, not to be confused with DVR services which enable subscribers to pause and record regular live TV programming. Cable operators in the US frequently combine VOD and DVR as a "killer app" to provide strong competition to digital satellite providers, which at this point only offer DVR services similar to Sky+ here in the UK. Telewest confirmed again today that it plans to offer DVR services to its customers this year.