A ruling by the Competition Appeal Tribunal has brought a new service to my attention. Real Digital TV (why do so many companies in this business use the name Real ?) is an EPG play with premium channels attached that's aiming to simulcast free-to-air channels. The initial business model seems to be to charge a monthly EPG listings fee.
The company clearly aimed to be off the ground earlier this year, but is now slated for a January launch, but has yet to launch its full website, let alone the set top boxes that will be needed to receive its services.
It's a tough ask to break into this market - companies like Fetch TV are already trying, albeit with a slightly different business model. Competing with the marketing clout of BSkyB, Virgin, and shortly, YouView, as well as companies like Samsung and Philips, who are all making a play to own the eyeballs in the living room takes deep pockets or something unique or different. Ask Microsoft, BT or TalkTalk.