Unotel plans own-brand IPTV, DTH offer

Unotel, an internet service provider (ISP) infrastructure provider in Brazil, is planning to launch a private brand pay-TV service in the first half of 2013. The new service is understood to use a hybrid DTH/IPTV set-top-box (STB) and is similar to a joint venture initiative launched by Brazilian telco Algar Telecom and WDC Networks. Under the plan, Unotel aims to offer ISPs a ‘ready for distribution programming package’ as soon as possible, although its CFO Marcio Faria says that the project has to be ‘perfect’ before it will commit. The company is currently negotiating with DTH providers for content distribution rights for the new service, he said. Faria added that Unotel is targeting the residential segment across the whole of Brazil with its new ISP/client hybrid service.