Satellite TV operator DirecTV Venezuela, which has recently been acquired by investment firm Scale Capital, will change its name to SimpleTV. The new brand name has been appearing on the screens of the DTH’s users during the last few days, according to information provided by Venezuelan reporter Arnaldo Espinoza, a specialist in the telecommunications market.
Scale Capital uses the same brand for the mobile telephone service it supplies in Chile.
“Disclosure of the brand name SimpleTV was a technical mistake,” remarked the Venezuelan reporter, who explained that the new name should not be revealed until the service prices have been approved by Conatel (Venezuela’s Telecommunications Commission) and pending agreements with some channels have been closed.
In addition to visualizing the new brand name, DirecTV users have been given information on the plans SimpleTV will offer (as they are not completely defined yet, they are subject to modifications). There are four plans, namely Chamo (55 channels), Pana (99 channels), Jefe (152 channels) and Maestro (211 channels). The above mentioned numbers include audio channels. According to Espinoza, only the two highest plans will include sports channels and only Maestro will offer HD quality.
The Satellite TV service is being supplied free to existing DirecTV users, a benefit that will be maintained until mid-November. The grant of a free period has been designed as a strategy to retain customers until Scale Capital has completed all regulatory steps. Last week, Venezuela’s Supreme Court published a judgment whereby the sale of the DTH operation was authorized.
