TrueVisions

Infobox Company
name = TrueVisions

type = Public: (SET: [http://marketdata.set.or.th/mkt/stockquotation.do?image32.y=0&image32.x=0&symbol=TRUE TRUE] )
slogan = "Turn on a new perspective of life, Turn on TrueVisions"
foundation = 1998
location_city = 118/1 Tipco Building, Rama XI Road, Sam Sen Nai, Payathai, Bangkok 10400
location_country =
THA
key_people = Soopakij Chearavanont (Chairman)
Supachai Chearavanont (CEO)
area_served =
industry = Pay television
products = digital satellite and cable TV
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
parent =
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.truevisionstv.com/ www.truevisionstv.com]
intl = yes

TrueVisions is Thailand's leading cable satellite television operator. Now owned by the True Corporation, the company was formerly known as the United Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), but it was rebranded in February 2007.

History

Origin of TrueVisions

On April 17, 1989, the Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand (MCOT) and UBC (which was then International Broadcasting Corporation Public Company Limited or IBC) entered a joint venture agreement for the provision of subscription television service that was subsequently amended on May 19, 1994 and April 17, 1998, or the UBC Concession. Under the UBC Concession, UBC is permitted to operate subscription television on behalf of MCOT until September 30, 2014. UBC is entitled to provide subscription television pursuant to the UBC Concession to the whole of Thailand using a satellite to provide direct-to-home service, cable in the provincial areas and MMDS as permitted by the Post and Telegraph Department, and is entitled to use a satellite to provide service to hubs in provincial areas and then, through local cable networks, on to subscribers.

IBC launched South East Asia’s first subscriber-based television network in Bangkok in October 1989 using an MMDS transmission platform. IBC was listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand on February 3, 1994 with a registered share capital of Baht 180 million. IBC began serving viewers in major cities in all areas of Thailand in 1994 by transmitting programs using Thaicom 1 satellite. The satellite was used to relay signals to MMDS transmitters in the provinces. In 1995, IBC launched its DStv service using Ku-band transmission and MPEGII video compression. This enabled IBC to increase the number of channels being offered, improve sound and picture quality and distribute its service everywhere in Thailand. These services are now transmitted on the newer and more powerful Thaicom 5.

On July 1, 1998, IBC merged with UTV (below) to form UBC.

Origin of TrueVisions Cable

On November 12, 1993, MCOT and TelecomAsia entered into a memorandum of agreement for a joint venture for the provision of cable television services. Pursuant to its terms, TelecomAsia agreed to set up a public company to operate a cable television business. On June 6, 1994, MCOT and UBC Cable (formerly UTV Cable Network Public Company Limited or UTV) entered into a contract for the joint operation of subscription television services, or the UBC Cable Concession. UBC Cable is permitted to operate subscription television on behalf of MCOT until December 31, 2019. UBC Cable is entitled to provide subscription television pursuant to the UBC Cable Concession in Bangkok and elsewhere.

UTV began providing its CATV service in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas in September 1995. The service was offered on its high quality hybrid fiber coaxial network which it began deploying in 1994. The cable technology allowed for a number of channels to be offered, with high quality sound and picture and allowed for value added services such as pay per view. By 1997 hybrid fiber coaxial cable network passed an estimated 800,000 homes. In 1997 UTV sold the cable infrastructure component of its business to its sister company Asia Multimedia Company Limited allowing UTV to focus on content and subscriber management service delivery. UTV would merge with IBC in 1998.

Number of Subscribers

As of 2nd quarter of 2008: 659,227 subscribers (1,179,196 subscribers including FreeView). [http://www.truecorp.co.th/refweb/downloads/investors/2Q2008/2Q08_Quarterly_Bulletin.pdf]

Number of subscribers [http://www.truevisionstv.com/thai/subscriber_growth2.aspx TrueVisions Subscriber Growth]

* exclude TrueLife FreeView

List of channels on TrueVisions

TrueVisions currently runs its own created channels as well as operating regional (either Southeast Asia or Asia Pacific) channels with channel identification number. [ [http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/truevisions_chno.html Truevision Channels Channel Number Courtesy of Lyngsat] ]

Seasonal Channels provided by TrueVisions

*World Series Cricket Channel
*The Tri Nations Channel€*Academy Fantasia Channel or AF Channel (Created and Produced by TrueVisions)
*Big Brother Thailand

Discontinued channels

*MTV Asia due to the establishment of MTV Thailand
*MTV Thailand due to a discontinued contract between UBC and MTV (Now continued). This results as a discontinuation of VH1 Thailand, Fashion TV Thailand and Nickelodeon Thailand. However only MTV Thailand are expected to return starting May 16, 2008 at Channel 111. The other MTV sister channels yet unannounced.
*Pay Per View 1 and 2 due to presence of True Sports Extra 1 and 2
*HGTV Thailand
*Fashion TV, replaced with Panorama Channel
*Panorama Channel, a channel devoted to locally-produced documentaries
*UBC Movies, replaced with UBC (later True) Inside,now succeeded by True Movie Hits
*Nation Channel, local round the clock news channel, due to its move to MMDS

Return/Future Channel

* VH1 Thailand
* CBeebies
* Nickelodeon South East Asia
* True Food Channel
* Crime & Investigation NetworkA monthly magazine, which sets out the broadcasting schedules, is sent free to subscribers.Contents such as hi-lights of the month, descriptions and synopsis are presented in Thai but the schedule listing is also available in English.

Personal Video Recording System

TrueVisions is now selling the new PVR (Personal-Digital Video Recording) System, similar to TiVo. For more information, please go to [http://pvr.truevisionstv.com/marketing/pvr_demo/ TrueVisions PVR Website]

High Definition Channels

As of November 12th of 2007, True Visions started to run a commercial between programs on several channels that they operate, stating that they are currently testing high definition (HD) channels and also the new set-top box system that will support both PVR and HD. They plan to launch the test run at Bangkok ICT Expo in November 2007.

Channels that they claim to be under the test run includes Barclay's Premier League HD, Discovery HD, National Geographic Channel HD, History Channel HD, and some HD programs on True Series. Even though AXN has claimed that they have filmed the Amazing Race Asia Season 2 program with High Definition cameras, they however have not broadcasted any of HD programming in South East Asia yet.

ee also

*Media in Thailand

References

External links

* [http://www.truecorp.co.th/ True Website]
* [http://www.truevisionstv.com/ TrueVisions Website]
* [http://www.truevisionstv.com/index.aspx TrueVisions English Version Website]
* [http://www.truetv.in.th/th/ TrueIPTV Thai Website]
* [http://www.truetv.in.th/en/ TrueIPTV English Website]