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APTN goes high-def on Bell Canada HD
Those anxious for more HD through Bell Canada can add one more to their list of options, as Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) is finally delivering an HD version of the channel on the aforesaid carrier. Unfortunately, Bell Canada is currently the only way to receive the HD feed (it's on channel 808, by the way), and it's slated to carry 16.5-hours of distinctive HD programming per week. Notably, the HD version of the network will simply be a higher quality simulcast of the SD feed -- opting to differentiate programming between the two would have required APTN to apply for a totally separate license from the CRTC.
Bell ExpressVu considering FreeSat service for delivering OTA networks
Canada's own Bell ExpressVu is currently mulling an interesting plan that could bring "free" OTA networks to folks faraway from towers and terrified of paying a cable provider for TV service. Dubbed FreeSat, the proposed service would give Canadians "free access to a limited number of high-definition channels," all of which would be local OTA (read: not pay-TV) networks. It wasn't revealed how much the receiver itself would cost, nor was it clear if broadcasters would be kosher with the idea. Bell Canada argues that the plan would give the aforementioned networks a way to get their content to more customers without "huge investments" in new transmission towers, but of course, there is always more than one side to the story. Needless to say, we can't imagine this being the last time we hear of this endeavor.
