Chorus to trial broadcasting
Chorus will begin a trial using its fibre network to provide a direct broadcasting service to consumers’ homes in May.
The service would run alongside any broadband service that was provided over the fibre, using a second port on the optical network terminal installed in homes to connect to consumers’ televisions.
Chorus said yesterday that it anticipated the service would be of interest to local broadcasters looking for better quality control.
Local broadcasters would not need to partner with an internet service provider (ISP) or to develop an application that ran over the public internet and therefore made quality control more challenging, the company said.
The new trial would be tested in 4K quality broadcasts, but could be used in 8K quality broadcast as well.
Chorus chief executive Kate McKenzie said that with growing consumer demand for quality video, such as 4K, along with emerging technologies such as multi-camera and interactive services, ‘‘it’s clear that traditional broadcasting technologies will be challenged to meet those demands long term.
‘‘New Zealand’s fibre network is a major national asset, and by 2022 will have greater coverage of the population than terrestrial broadcasting.’’
Without the Chorus service, local broadcasters needed to partner with major ISPs while facing competition from overseas content giants, a dynamic that ‘‘put the ability to tell local stories and produce local content at risk’’.
The service was an example of how fibre could deliver a greater value service, she said. ‘‘This is a great example of opportunities to use the investment that has been made in fibre to deliver greater value than simply regulated fixed-line broadband services alone.‘‘
Sky Television chief executive John Fellet said his business would be participating in the trial.
Freeview, a non-profit digital TV and radio service, was also taking part. Its chief executive, Jason Fodan, said the trial aligned with Freeview’s strategy.
The trial would begin in May and steps towards a commercial service would follow once the trial was complete.