Pure Telecom targets Ireland’s lucrative streaming market with new TV service. #Netgem #PureTelecom #Streaming

Pure Telecom, Ireland’s high-speed broadband and telecoms provider, today announces that it is entering the triple-play market through a partnership with TV service provider, Netgem. To mark the partnership, which represents Netgem’s largest distribution partnership in Ireland so far, Pure Telecom is revealing insights from a national survey of 1,000 Irish adults, conducted in July 2020. It found that the majority of the Irish population is now paying for a video streaming service, with the average adult spending €18.91 per month on streaming services.

Pure Telecom will tap into this lucrative market by giving Irish viewers access to Netgem’s range of live and on-demand content through broadband and TV bundles starting at €43. Subscribers will be able to access live TV from Saorview channels, along with 20 additional channels. They will also have access to streaming services from providers including YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, All4 and Plex, as well as ad-free kids’ TV provider Hopster. The service is integrated with Alexa voice control.

Pure Telecom’s research found that some 81% of Irish adults are currently paying for at least one streaming service. And, it found that the COVID-19 lockdown caused 34% of Irish adults to increase the amount they spend on streaming channels.

The survey revealed that the average Irish adult spends 13 hours, 35 minutes watching streaming channels each week. That figure increases to 15 hours 28 minutes per week for Millennials and 14 hours, 25 minutes for Gen Z.

According to the survey, residents in Carlow watch the most streamed content at 19 hours, 23 minutes per week. That is followed by Louth (18 hours, 12 minutes) and Wicklow (17 hours, 26 minutes). Offaly and Sligo residents, meanwhile, clock up the least amount of time watching streaming channels at 9 hours, 23 minutes per week. That is followed by Monaghan (10 hours, 30 minutes) and Kildare (11 hours, 54 minutes).

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom

 

“At Pure Telecom, top-quality customer service along with extremely competitive prices have always been our priority. We are delighted to be partnering with Netgem to provide a genuine alternative for Irish viewers seeking both broadband and TV.”

Sylvain Thevenot, Chief Commercial & Customer Officer, Netgem, said: “Pure Telecom is a really strong local player in an Irish broadband market that is heating up rapidly. We are delighted to be working with them to reach new audiences in Ireland and showcase how quickly and easily ISPs can launch compelling TV services via Netgem with a low overall investment.”

Sony’s new A8 4K HDR OLED TVs on sale now. #Sony #TV #4K

Sony has today announced the availability of its newest A8 4K HDR OLED televisions in Europe. Boasting an array of Sony’s cutting-edge innovations in picture processing and sound, the A8 delivers the acclaimed quality of the Japanese manufacturer.

The X1™ Ultimate Picture Processor is at the heart of the A8’s prowess. It precisely analyses image data to bring out the intense contrast of OLED with pure blacks, peak brightness and truly realistic pictures. The TV also features Pixel Contrast Booster, which enhances colour and contrast in bright areas so you can enjoy scenes full of lifelike shades and hues, more depth, fine texture and the pure black contrast that only OLED can deliver.

The A8 TVs continue Sony’s legacy of delivering a truly immersive audio-visual experience with the incorporation of Acoustic Surface Audio, which turns the TV screen into a speaker. An innovative actuator behind the screen vibrates discreetly to create sound so what you hear comes from the place in the scene where the action is happening – dialogue from characters or engine noise from a car. This ties-in with Sony’s super-slim one slate design where the screen meets the edge of the TV, immersing you in the picture without distraction. For extra punch, two subwoofers are discretely integrated into the rear of the TV to create more dynamic, bass-heavy sound – ideal for action movies and music.

The new A8 TVs continue to deliver the creator’s intent with Netflix Calibrated Mode. This mode was specially developed to enjoy Netflix originals and reproduce the same picture quality on a TV as on a studio evaluation master. With Netflix Calibrated Mode, the creator’s vision and intent is faithfully preserved. Furthermore, the A8 is an IMAX® Enhanced™ product, ready to meet high-quality colour, contrast, clarity and sound, creating a fully immersive at-home entertainment experience that takes full advantage of IMAX Enhanced content.

Sony’s A8 4K HDR OLED TVs feature Ambient Optimization, a new technology that optimises picture and sound quality in any customer environment. It will automatically adjust the picture brightness to the ambient light in the room, boosting the brightness in bright rooms and reducing in dark rooms for the perfect view. It even detects objects in the room, such as curtains and furniture that can absorb or reflect sound, fine-tuning the acoustics so your sound isn’t compromised.

The A8 line-up features Android TV™ with the Google Assistant , Google Play Store and Chromecast built-in, which offers users easy access to content, services and devices via its extensive platform. Sony’s original user interface menus and voice controls are also enhanced for better daily use. With the Google Assistant  and Amazon Alexa  enabled devices, you may cast and control videos from a range of apps, such as Netflix or YouTube with Google Home or change the channel or volume with Amazon Alexa enabled devices. Apple® AirPlay® 2 users can stream movies, music, games and photos to their television right from their iPhone®, iPad® or Mac®. The Apple HomeKit™ technology provides an easy, secure way for users to control their television from their iPhone®, iPad® or Mac® .

 

Pricing and availability

Model UK pricing Irish pricing
KD55A8 £1799

€2149

KD65A8 £2799 €3349

For more information please visit: www.sony.co.uk

 

Sony A8 4K OLED TV: Key features

Screen sizes: 65” and 55”

  • Features Picture Processor X1™ Ultimate, providing the ultimate 4K HDR viewing experience with the following technologies: Object-based Super Resolution, Object-based HDR remaster, Super Bit Mapping™ 4K HDR and Dual database processing
  • Features Pixel Contrast Booster, with over eight million self-illuminating pixels and Sony-original panel controller for OLED that brings a significantly enriched visual experience with unprecedented black, authentic colour and a wide viewing angle
  • X-Motion Clarity for OLED: This revolutionary, highly-acclaimed best-in-class technology from Sony will now be available for OLED, refining action on the screen in real time to make it brighter, clearer and more fluid than ever before for an unparalleled sports viewing experience
  • Two subwoofers improve and enhance Acoustic Surface Audio™
  • Dolby Vision™ and Dolby Atmos™ compatible
  • New Ambient Optimization optimises picture and sound quality in any customer environment. It will automatically adjust the picture brightness to the ambient light in the room, boosting the brightness in bright rooms and reducing in dark rooms for the perfect view
  • TRILUMINOS™ Display reproduces the subtle nuances of colour, light and gradation from video lens to living room
  • Works with Smart Speakers, including Google Home and Amazon Alexa enabled devices
  • Easy connectivity to most devices, including Apple® AirPlay® 2, HomeKit™
  • Quick access to an array of content and services with Android TV
  • Netflix Calibrated Mode ensures cinematic fidelity for the viewing experience on Netflix. Developed by Sony picture quality engineers in collaboration with Netflix colour scientists, Netflix Calibrated Mode delivers picture quality approaching that of a master monitor used for standard reference in motion picture production studios.
  • An IMAX® Enhanced™ product, ready to meet high-quality colour, contrast, clarity and sound. Take comfort in knowing you’ll be enjoying a fully immersive at-home entertainment experience on this TV that takes full advantage of IMAX Enhanced content.
  • Custom Mode, along with Sony’s other calibrated viewing modes, provides various viewing options to suit customers’ tastes while faithfully preserving the creator’s intent