(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/mbbirdy)
Sky has been exploring ways to offer quad-play packages for some time. In the UK the company partnered with O2 to include mobile services in its bundles beginning in 2015 — a partnership that has gained extra significance after Hutchison submitted a bid to merge Three and O2.
Now Sky is expanding its quad-play ambitions to other markets where it operates. Telecom Italia has announced Italy’s first quad-play offering through a partnership with Sky that combines content and services. These bundles will be available to Telecom Italia customers with a minimum 20 Mbps ADSL subscription, up to 100 Mbps on fibre-optic connections.
Marco Patuano, Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Italia, commented that the agreement is particularly rewarding because it gives customers access to the richest pay-TV offering on the market. He added that the partnership establishes a new industrial model for consuming audiovisual content by combining Telecom Italia’s technological capabilities with Sky’s production expertise.
Quad-play bundles — which combine broadband, TV, mobile and fixed-line services — are highly attractive to consumers. The benefits of integrated packages are clear to customers and providers alike, and companies that fail to develop quad-play offerings over the coming years risk being left behind in a marketplace that increasingly values bundled services.
Andrea Zappia, Chief Executive Officer of Sky Italia, said the agreement is important because Telecom Italia’s ultra-broadband network and the development of a next-generation IPTV platform enable Sky to deliver an excellent user experience over the internet, including high-definition video, on-demand content and a range of features that enhance viewing across devices.
Convergence remains a leading trend in the telecommunications industry. Narrowing the divide between media and telecom firms lets customers benefit from integrated fixed and mobile services, robust broadband connectivity and premium television available across connected devices — all under a single, coordinated offering.
Do you think it is important for service providers to offer quad-play packages? Let us know in the comments.