Liquid Telecom announced plans to launch TV services to their customers in Nairobi by 2013. The TV channels would broadcast over internet protocols with users enjoying free-to-air channels, with plans to launch premium content on the service. We did not hear much of the service until now.
Liquid Telecom has now announced the launch of its Hai internet service targeting the retail market segment which includes packages targeting small businesses as well as home connections. As a value added service, Liquid will be offering subscribers ipidi TV, a video-on-demand service. The Hai internet service is already operating in Runda and other housing estates in Nairobi.
ipidi TV offers consumers over 1,000 hours worth of content. The service will showcase content from major studios including Disney, Marvel, Universal, LionsGate among others. The service will offers users a catalog of movies besides showcasing latest releases. Liquid is also looking to partner with more studios to increase its content offering. The service comes in two packages including ipidi flix and ipidi boxoffice. The ipidi flix service allows users to watch content by paying a montly subscription fee. ipidi boxoffice on the other hand allows users to browse through content and pay for it every time they watch it. Users can view the content on TV, desktop, laptop and even mobile.
The service comes on the backdrop of the launch of Netflix in Kenya. In our analysis of the entry of Netflix in Kenya, we hinted that a partnership between Netflix and Triple-play provider Zuku would offer users unfettered ability to stream content. What Liquid Telecom is providing users is a similar service, that bundles in video-on-demand content as well as an internet connection to the homes of users.
