Mediaset Premium

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Mediaset Premium is an Italian digital terrestrial television service provided by Mediaset. It provides pay-per-view service through use of a rechargeable smart card.

There are presently 7 channels on Mediaset Premium's digital terrestrial platform. Mediaset charges an activation fee that serves to verify effective activation of the prepaid reloadable smart card.

Mediaset Premium shows numerous pay-per-view programs, including 10 Serie A teams, reality shows, film, etc., with a fee varying, depending on the chosen event, from € 1.00 to € 6.00. From May 3 2006 it has been possible to see on a pay-per-view basis the third series of The OC, the fifth season of Smallville and entire series of The Sopranos. But there is also some Free-to-view content as well (including local programs and the casting of the Italian version of Big Brother) From April 2007 on air the repeat of Nip/Tuck and the fourth season of The OC.

The package also comprises some broadcast television networks (such as RAI and Mediaset's own Canale 5) for which the payment is not necessary. The main defect of DTT coverage in Italy is that it is not yet available in all Italy, it will require much time before all the country can receive it adequately. However is possible on the Internet to verify the identity of the correct customer.

To see Mediaset Premium's channels it is necessary to buy a set top decoder box and one reloadable smart card in most electronics stores for about €30.00 or €25.00 of program time (that's credit plus €5.00 for the activation). With the card properly inserted into the box qualified to the service, the multiplex channels of Mediaset will be viewable, and the viewer will only be charged for what he or she wants to see.

If the Mediaset Premium card is used on another decoder box (such as Cartapiu's) than an "ILLEGAL TICKET" message will appear. In order to resolve the problem, the viewer must reset the set to Mediaset Premium 5 for 15 minutes.

For now, Mediaset Premium will continue the distribution of pay for view events; however this does not exclude the possibility of the participation of other broadcasters on the English model of Freeview in order to extend coverage.

[edit] External links

• Mediaset Premium official site (in Italian)
• Italian consortium for the digital terrestrial television (in Italian)