TEO LT : Telia Lietuva to Start a New Era of Smart TV in Lithuania

Telia Smart TV (IPTV), a synonym of quality content at home, is about to take a new technological step by starting to provide Smart TV service all over the Lithuania via the fastest Telia Lietuva mobile LTE 4G network. This technology will replace the old digital terrestrial television (DVB-T) broadcasts whereof will be stopped as of August. Along with the new technology, Telia Lietuva has also updated pricing of Smart TV service which will be more flexible from now on.

Created in Lithuania in 2006, Gala Smart TV has changed the understanding of how people watch television - not according to the programme guide typical of the old-generation TV, but at the time convenient to them: with rewind of programmes and series, records, video on demand of the most recent and festival films, and even the content developed specifically for children. And, from now on, Telia' Smart TV service will reach homes not only via cables, but also through the mobile 4G LTE network.

'We are among the first in Europe to offer such a wide range of television content and possibilities via the mobile 4G connection. This innovation represents one more example of the synergy of our services and technologies, which will provide our customers with new possibilities and extra value because Telia 4G network covers 99% of the territory of Lithuania. Thus, the Smart TV service will be the best television solution, no matter where you live,' says Haval van Drumpt, Head of B2C at Telia Lietuva.

Through the 4G connection, Telia Lietuva will show its Smart TV customers over 100 channels, the majority whereof are high definition like in the case of cable access. People will be able to manage broadcasts, watch two-week-old records, choose the most recent films in video on demand or series in Kino Klubas (Cinema Club), while Vaikų Kampelis (Kids' Corner) will feature the content intended only for the youngest viewers.

From the technical point of view, Smart TV service will operate as the usual Telia Smart TV through the mobile 4G network, only the signal from the router to TV set-top box will come not via cables but via radio waves - like in all mobile devices.

Telia Lietuva offers a 30-day free trial of the new service and within this time clients will be allowed to return the equipment and the agreement without any obligations.

Yet another Telia Lietuva novelty - flexible Smart TV service payment plans adjusted for the various customer needs with the fees starting at EUR 6 per month. Plan MINI with 22 TV channels is intended for the lovers of Lithuanian television, plan MIDI with 55 channels is adapted for various tastes, whereas plan MAXI will meet the needs of the pickiest viewers with its offer of as many as 90 channels, thematic packages as well as films and series of Kino Klubas (Cinema Club).

The functions of Smart TV service - broadcast management (rewind, stopping or fast forward), two-week-old records, video on demand, YouTube, radio and others - work with all the payment plans.

IPTV over LTE will replace the outdated technology of digital terrestrial television service provision of which will be terminated by Telia Lietuva as from 1 August.

Telia Smart TV is one of the most rapidly growing service of the company. In recent years, the number of its customers grew by 10%, and currently it is watched by over 215 thousand households in Lithuania.