With Tele2, KPN has gotten a serious fellow contestant in the race for offering triple play to the customers. As of today, the Swedish enterprise is the first telecom company that offers a complete package of television channels through a broadband Internet connection.

Tele2 has high expectations for the near future. In 2005, the European Commission has given permission to let Versatel be taken over by Tele2. This approval was needed because the fear existed that it would threaten competition; both companies offered Internet and telephone services. As Tele2 has taken over Versatel last year for 1,34 million euros, it can now offer Internet television. Versatel owns a fiberglass network that can provide approximately 65% of the Dutch homes with broadband Internet.

Versatel started broadcasting live premier league soccer in the summer of 2005, but until now it has turned out a flop. Only 60.000 homes had subscribed for this service, a considerable amount less than the 100.000 Versatel originally had in mind. Since Tele2 does not want te be reminded of this past, it will from now on not anymore use the name Versatel.

The new bundle contains soccer as well. However, Tele2 wishes to focus on the complete television pack instead of promoting the soccer only. Also, Tele2 wants to start offering http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl for TV; a service that would make it possible to watch missed programs later on. Yet this service is still in development. Other services that are in development are personalised television and pay-per-view (payment per soccer match).

Sources:
http://www.nu.nl/news/693286/51/Tele2_troeft_KPN_af_met_internettelevisie.html
http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/economie/nieuwsbericht/asp/artnr/63255