British Telecommunications Plc is in detailed negotiations with the Kirch Gruppe to launch interactive services using digital satellite television in Germany, the Financial Times said. The paper said the move could bring Telecom into direct competition in the German market with the soon to be privatized Deutsche Telekom AG. It said the talks between Telecom and Kirch would involve a joint venture with Kirch’s DF1, the digital satellite company that launched 19 channnels of digital television in July (CI No 2,957). British Sky Broadcasting Plc has a 49% stake in DF1 and the Financial Times said talks between BSkyB and Telecom on the launch of digital satellite television in Britain would provide a model.
