Microsoft Corp is looking to get a foothold in the fledgling UK digital TV market by negotiating a deal to offer TV-based internet services from its WebTV Networks Inc subsidiary as part of British Digital Broadcasting Plc’s 15 channel digital terrestrial package (CI No 3,337). BDB wants to offer interactive services as a means to compete with rivals British Interactive Broadcasting, the joint venture between British Sky Broadcasting Plc, Matsushita Industrial Electric Co, British Telecommunications Plc and Midland Bank Plc, which plans to launch its digital terrestrial service in June. Jim Farmery, new product manager at West Yorkshire, UK-based Pace Micro Technology, the company currently making the set-top boxes for the first round of WebTV UK trials said: BDB has spoken to WebTV about integrating WebTV services into a combined box but I think that’s some way off yet. WebTV is looking at a range of different delivery methods including satellite and cable. Pace originally announced that it had licensed WebTV technology for use in its set-top boxes back in April 1997. The company says it has so far delivered between 200 and 300 set top boxes for the initial UK WebTV analog trials, which are scheduled to begin shortly. A spokesperson for BDB would only comment: We are talking to all the major players about possible interactive services. WebTV rivals NetChannel Inc would not comment except to say: NetChannel is also in discussion with digital TV operators and intends to become the de facto standard for internet-TV access, across cable, satellite and terrestrial television.
