Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) today officially launched its television services at a press conference in Tel Aviv. The company is offering a television service without Netflix for NIS 69 monthly, rising to NIS 89 monthly if Netflix is included. This is the cheapest price in Israel.
Partner's triple-play package, combining television, Internet and fixed-line telephone, will cost NIS 129 without Netflix and NIS 149 with it. The company announced that it will shortly provide a quad-play package that will also include a mobile telephony subscription.
Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) television costs NIS 100 monthly, and the DBS Satellite Services (1998) Ltd. (YES) and Hot Telecommunication Systems Ltd. (TASE: HOT.B1) packages cost hundreds of shekels.
Partner CEO Isaac Benbenisti said at the press conference, "Partner is launching a television solution today that will meet three main challenges: rich and diverse content, an innovative interface that has no equivalent in Israel, and it is of course packaged with an attractive price.
"We have 40 life, sports, and children's channels, with seven channels for all ages, including the children's channel, and original productions. We have a special channel for gamers with Hebrew translation. We have the five leading sports channels in Israel, including coverage of the top basketball and soccer leagues, and it is all included in the price. There are more than 10 channels for every type of community. We will soon put the Israel entertainment channel on the air."
Describing the channels, Benbenisti said, "There will be international news, leisure channels, etc. We have selected the 40 leading channels in Israel and worldwide. The converter will an Android TV converter with 4K capability, and our remote control gives the full story to those wishing to relax and enjoy the best content available today. The television always starts at the last channel you watched. To navigate, press on the home screen to get the list of channels.
"You can give yourself reminders and recordings on the complete broadcasting schedule, but what happened in the past is sometimes much more interesting, and here we offer an experience never seen before in Israel: a complete catch-up service going back two weeks. All the programs will be available for viewing, without having to record them. If you missed a program, you go back in time, and the program is broadcast to you."
Benbenisti added, "The catch-up feature is installed on all channels. Everything is ordered and catalogued for the viewer's choice, and this is a viewing experience that has never been available before in Israel. The Partner television service has voice control, and also the option of using the cell phone as a remote control. There will also be a special button on the remote control for YouTube.
"The remote control will integrate access to apps, so that it will be possible to download any app from there, from Google Play stores on smart televisions."
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on June 27, 2017
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