Belgacom launching HD programming services in Belgium
Disregard the fact that just 5-percent of HDTV owners in Europe actually bother to tune into HD programming -- Belgium's own Belgacom is looking to help its subscribers buck the trend. Starting on April 14th, the provider will begin offering HD VOD services (exact content choices have yet to be disclosed) along with seven unannounced high-def channels. Of note, customers looking to take advantage of the extra clarity will be dinged with a €50 "connection charge," and a snappy VDSL line will be required. Additionally, Belgacom plans on offering the Olympic Games in HD, and the services are being made available thanks to recent infrastructure upgrades to a fiber-to-the-node VDSL2 network. No word on how much the Nokia Siemens Networks-sourced set-top-boxes will run customers, but we'd say it's a pretty exciting win for HD-starved Belgians, regardless.
