SkyCable
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| SkyCable | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Cable TV |
| Founded | Merger between SkyCABLE, Home Cable, SunCable & Sunvision Cable |
| Founder | Lopez Group of Companies |
| Headquarters |  Metro Manila & Some Parts of the Provinces |
| Website | http://www.skycable.com |
SkyCable is a direct-to-home cable TV and subscription service, established by the Lopez Group of Companies and Central CATV Group Of Companies. It is one of several subsidiaries of ABS-CBN.
SkyCable should not be confused as a service of British Sky Broadcasting in the UK -- neither it nor its parent, News Corporation, own any interest in SkyCable even as Star TV channels are carried by the former. SkyCable offers a range of analog and digital Cable Television services, and also offers high-speed internet services as well.
Contents |
[edit] Company timeline
[edit] 1990s
- 1992 – SkyCable is founded.
- 1994 – SkyCable launches its first local movie channel, Sky1(later Pinoy Blockbuster Channel then Cinema One).
- May 1, 1996 – SkyCable launches its first local news channel, Sarimanok News Network (now ABS-CBN News Channel).
- 1 January 1999 – The "i" channel ceases to air on SkyCable
- July 11, 1999 – SkyCable launches Lifestyle Network.
[edit] 2000s
- May 1, 2000 – SkyCable launches AXN.
- May 20, 2001 – Pinoy Blockbuster Channel replaces Cinema One as the digital Filipino movie channel.
- October 19, 2001 – Home Cable loses STAR TV channels, SkyCable acquires Home Cable.
- July 1, 2002 – SkyCable launches Disney Channel.
- November 17, 2002 – Home Cable removes Disney Channel and Hallmark Channel.
- May 7, 2004 – SkyCable and Home Cable launches ETC and Sports Plus (now a defunct channel).
- July 1, 2004 – SkyCable and Home Cable changes their hotline number to +6326310000.
- July 1, 2005 – SkyCable changes its channel guide; acquires Home Cable and Sun Cable.
- October 1, 2005 – SkyCable launches Hero on test broadcast from November 30 to December 31, on chanel 44. Programming started in January 2006.
- October 15 and December 15 – SkyCable launches Crime/Suspense and ETC 2nd Avenue (now 2nd Avenue).
- January 2006 – SkyCABLE became SkyCable Gold, and Home Cable and SunCable became SkyCable Silver.
- March 16, 2006 – SkyCABLE launches SkyCABLE Platinum.
- April 11, 2006 – SkyCable launches commercials for SkyCable Platinum, seen on MySky & SkySked and as a filter on some channels.
- April 12, 2006 to July 20, 2006 – SkyCable shows previews of SkyCable Platinum Channels on SkySked Channel 33. Channels from the HBOPak each have 5 to 10 minute previews, while channels from the Metro Pack each have 15 to 30 minute previews.
- July 12, 2006 – QTV moved to channel 24, and ZPDee Channel was moved to channel 11.
- September 01, 2006 – KBS World replaced Arirang TV (Channel 75).
- October 19, 2006 – SkyCable main offices were moved to 33rd Floor, Tektite East Tower, Exchange Road, Ortigas Centre, Pasig City.
- November 13, 2006 – UniversiTV premiers on channel 5.
- Dec. 2006 – SkyCable launches its children's club, called SkyCable Fun Club
- April 12, 2007 – Skycable launches Teleradyo Channel 22, leaving MTV on Channel 57 and Channel News Asia was moved to channel 79 (channel 67 on Skycable Digital). Also, SkyCable launches an infomercial about their Digibox product, seen on MySky Channel 33.
- June 26, 2007 – SkySked on Channel 11 was reformatted.
- August 13, 2007 – TeleRadyo was moved to channel 26, Zpdee was moved to channel 61, Iglesia Ni Cristo TV was moved to channel 22, NHK World Premium was moved to channel 78 and Makisig Network (formerly Karera Channel) was moved to channel 76.
- September 1, 2007 – Test Broadcast of another sports channel - Balls. It currently broadcasts the 2007 US Open which is exclusive to SkyCable.
- September 15, 2007 – Test Broadcast of MySky Channel 33 is reformatted.
- November 7, 2007 – CUBEiTV was transferred to channel 67 while ABS-CBN Pay-Per-View was also transferred from channel 25. SkyCable's new CPI channels and the replacement for Solar's channels started its preview on Channel 25 for Velvet, Channel 33 for Balls and Channel 61 for Maxxx.
- January 1, 2008 – All Solar Entertainment Channels were removed, namely, BTV-Basketball TV, ETC, 2nd Avenue, Crime/Suspense, JackTV and Solar Sports. AXN Beyond, FOX Crime and KidsCo were made available on SkyCable, but KidsCo is only available to Gold subscribers. Channel 25 became SkyCable Platinum preview channel. Disney Channel becomes available to Silver subscribers.
- January 28, 2008 – Shop TV 2005, a Shopping channel on Channel 13 was new with Shop TV 2008.
- January 30, 2008 – SkyCable's corporate name changed from Central CATV Inc. to SkyCable Corporation.
- February 05, 2008 – Power TV, a Chinese premium channel on channel 64 was replaced with Phoenix Chinese Channel.
- February 06, 2008 – Asian Food Channel now available on Channel 58 transferring Da-Ai2 to Channel 61.
- March 2008 – Lifestyle Network is now a 24/7 channel.
- March 1, 2008 – Asia Plus, a Chinese premium channel on Channel 65 was replaced with Phoenix InfoNews Channel.
- April 1, 2008 – MySky Channel 33 is reformatted again.
- June 1, 2008 – SkyCable Baguio launches C-Load Prepared Cable TV.
[edit] Channel Listing
Below is a numerical representation of the current SkyCable channel lineup.
This list is lifted from the SkySked Channel and SkyCable's official website.
Channels not yet available on SkyCable can be found on the Future Channels section.
The channel listing is not applicable to subscribers in the CAMANAVA and Rizal areas.
| Legend | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| SkyCable info channels | Local channels | News channels | Foreign-language channels |
| Sports channels | Kid-oriented/Animation channels | Educational/Documentary channels | Variety channels |
| Movie channels | Pay-per-view channels | Music channels | Lifestyle/Travel channels |
| Ch. # | Network | Minimum Package | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Zoe TV 33 (UHF 33) | Select Prepaid | Subscribers may experience interference with local reception of ABC 5 on this channel. |
| 6 | NBN (VHF 4) | Select Prepaid | |
| 8 | ABS-CBN (VHF 2) | Select Prepaid | |
| 10 | ABC (VHF 5) | Select Prepaid | |
| 11 | SkySked | Select Prepaid | Subscribers may experience interference with local reception of Q 11 on this channel |
| 12 | GMA (VHF 7) | Select Prepaid | |
| 13 | Shop TV | Select Prepaid | Subscribers may experience interference with local reception of IBC 13 on this channel |
| 14 | RPN (VHF 9) / C/S | Select Prepaid | |
| 15 | IBC (VHF 13) | Select Prepaid | |
| 16 | SBN (UHF 21) / ETC | Select Prepaid | |
| 17 | Studio 23 (UHF 23) | Select Prepaid | |
| 18 | Net 25 (UHF 25) | Select Prepaid | |
| 19 | RJTV (UHF 29) / 2nd Avenue |
Select Prepaid | |
| 20 | GEM TV (UHF 49) | Select Prepaid | |
| 21 | UNTV (UHF 37) | Select Prepaid | |
| 22 | Iglesia ni Cristo TV | Select Prepaid | |
| 23 | MYX | Select Prepaid | |
| 24 | Q (VHF 11) | Select Prepaid | |
| 25 | SkyCable Platinum Preview Channel | Silver | |
| 26 | DZMM TeleRadyo | Select Prepaid | Live simulcast of DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 kHz with live video stream of the station. |
| 27 | ABS-CBN News Channel | Select Prepaid | |
| 28 | CNN International | Silver | |
| 29 | BBC World | Silver | |
| 30 | Bloomberg Television | Silver | |
| 31 | ESPN | Silver | |
| 32 | STAR Sports | Silver | |
| 33 | mySKY Channel | Select Prepaid | |
| 34 | Balls | Select Prepaid | |
| 35 | AXN Beyond | Silver | |
| 36 | Cinemax Asia | Gold | |
| 37 | Hallmark Channel | Gold | |
| 38 | KidsCo | Gold | |
| 39 | Discovery Channel | Gold | |
| 40 | Animal Planet | Gold | |
| 41 | National Geographic Channel | Silver | |
| 42 | Knowledge Channel | Select Prepaid | |
| 43 | Cartoon Network | Silver | |
| 44 | Hero TV | Select Prepaid | |
| 45 | Nickelodeon | Silver | |
| 46 | Animax | Silver | |
| 47 | Disney Channel Asia | Silver | |
| 48 | STAR World | Silver | |
| 49 | AXN Asia | Select Prepaid | |
| 50 | Fox Crime | Silver | |
| 51 | Maxxx | Select Prepaid | |
| 52 | Lifestyle Network | Select Prepaid | |
| 53 | Velvet | Silver | |
| 54 | HBO Asia | Silver | |
| 55 | STAR Movies | Silver | |
| 56 | Cinema One | Select Prepaid | |
| 57 | MTV Philippines | Select Prepaid | |
| 58 | Asian Food Channel | Select Prepaid | |
| 59 | TCT Network | Select Prepaid | |
| 60 | EWTN | Select Prepaid | |
| 61 | Da-Ai 2 | Select Prepaid | (Chinese) |
| 62 | Sky CEC | Select Prepaid | (Chinese) |
| 63 | GXTV | Select Prepaid | (Chinese) |
| 64 | Phoenix Chinese Channel | Chinese Premium | (Chinese) |
| 65 | Phoenix InfoNews Channel | Chinese Premium | (Chinese) |
| 66 | STAR Chinese Movies | Chinese Premium | (Chinese) audio with (Chinese) and (English) subtitles during movies |
| 67 | CUBE iTV / RHTV - RadyoVision |
Silver | |
| 68 | STAR News | Indian Premium | (Hindi) audio with (English) news ticker during newscasts |
| 69 | STAR One | Indian Premium | (Hindi) |
| 70 | STAR Gold | Indian Premium | (Hindi) |
| 71 | Voice of America | Select Prepaid | Multilingual, but mostly in (English) audio |
| 72 | DW-TV | Select Prepaid | Alternating (English) and (German) audio every two hours |
| 73 | TV Español | Select Prepaid | (Spanish) |
| 74 | TV5MONDE Asie | Select Prepaid | (French) |
| 75 | KBS World | Select Prepaid | (Korean), at times with (English) subtitles |
| 76 | Makisig Network | Select Prepaid | |
| 77 | Saudi One | Select Prepaid | (Arabic) |
| 78 | NHK World Premium | Select Prepaid | (Japanese) audio with (English) news ticker during major newscasts |
| 79 | Channel NewsAsia | Silver | Channel 67 on SkyCable Digital |
| 82 | Makisig Network | Silver | |
| 95 | ACQ-KBN (UHF 39) | Silver | |
| 96 | 3ABN (UHF 45) | Silver | |
| 99 | Living Asia Channel | Silver | |
| 100 | HBO HiTS | Platinum | |
| 101 | HBO Signature | Platinum | |
| 102 | HBO Family | Platinum | |
| 105 | Turner Classic Movies | Platinum | |
| 106 | MGM Channel | Platinum | |
| 110 | CNN Headline News | Platinum | |
| 111 | CNBC Asia | Platinum | |
| 112 | Fox News Channel | Platinum | |
| 113 | SkyCable Season Pass | Pay-Per-View | |
| 120 | Discovery Travel & Living | Platinum | |
| 121 | Discovery Home & Health | Platinum | |
| 122 | Discovery Real Time | Platinum | |
| 123 | Discovery Science | Platinum | |
| 124 | Nat Geo Adventure | Platinum | Formerly known as Adventure One. |
| 125 | Boomerang | Platinum | |
| 126 | Playhouse Disney Channel Asia | Platinum | |
| 130 | Australia Network | Platinum | Formerly known as ABC Asia Pacific. |
| 131 | Wine TV | Platinum | |
| 132 | Fashion TV | Platinum | |
| 135 | Channel [V] International | Platinum | |
| 136 | SkyCable Season Pass | Pay-Per-View | |
| 140 | Family Land | Platinum | |
| 141 | CTS | Platinum | (Korean) |
| 145 | CCTV 9 | Platinum | (Chinese) programming in (English) |
| 146 | STAR Plus Indian | Platinum | (Hindi) |
| 147 | Arirang TV | Platinum | (Korean) programming in (English) |
| 148 | MBC | Platinum | (Korean) |
| 149 | SkyCable Season Pass | Pay-Per-View | Reserved for Pinoy Dream Academy 24/7 Feeds |
[edit] Future channels
These channels are not yet available on any of SkyCable's subscription plan or pack. SkyCable has no public announcement yet about any or all of these channels, but may have a formal contract or are negotiating with SkyCable for one. In any case, the Channel Listing section is more reliable data-wise, for they have citation unlike this section.
- Arirang TV (to be available to all subscribers, including Platinum)
- The History Channel Asia (available on Cablelink only, will be available on SkyCable by 2008)
- Crime & Investigation Network Asia (available also on Cablelink, will be available on SkyCable by 2008)
- CCTV-4 (contract was not renewed after 09-24-2007, will return on SkyCable for Platinum subscribers, Available on Global Destiny Cable and Cablelink only)
- CCTV-E (Available on SkyCable Baguio)
- CCTV-F (Available on SkyCable Pampanga)
- RAI International (Available on Global Destiny Cable only)
- Formosa TV (Available on Global Destiny Cable only)
- Xing Kong
- Mabuhay Channel (soon on SkyCable, available for Platinum subscribers, Available on Dream Satellite TV, Cablelink and Dish Network USA only)
- TBN (soon on SkyCable, available for Platinum subscribers, set to replace CTS, Available on Global Destiny Cable and Cablelink only)
- BBC Entertainment Asia (soon on SkyCable, available for Platinum subscribers)
- YTN (Available on SkyCable Urdaneta, Global Destiny Cable and Cablelink only)
- Soundtrack Channel (Available on Cablelink only, soon on SkyCable available for Platinum subscribers)
- STAR Vijay
- FX Asia
- Zone Reality (Available in SkyCable Baguio and Pampanga and on Global Destiny Cable only)
- Nat Geo Wild
- Al Jazeera English News Channel (Available on Global Destiny Cable only and a 30 minute program block every 4 p.m. over ABS-CBN News Channel)
- Sky News (soon on SkyCable, available for Platinum subscribers)
- Pinoy Dream Academy (24/7 live reality singing competition feed, replacing Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus 24/7 starting June 15, 2008)
[edit] Controversies
[edit] Alleged bias with GMA
In mid-2003, GMA Network, the chief rival of SkyCable's sister company ABS-CBN, accused SkyCable of purposely tampering with the signal of GMA received by SkyCable's subscribers. At that time, SkyCable changed its channel assignments, moving GMA to channel 14. Subscribers still received poor reception of GMA, but officials at SkyCable denied these claims. [1] The National Telecommunications Commission ordered SkyCable to move GMA to an appropriate channel. [2] SkyCable complied with the order and moved GMA to Channel 12 on the system.[3]
Even so, some subscribers have complained still about GMA's weak signal on 12, especially in timeslots where GMA's ratings are relatively high. In response, GMA provides a telephone line where subscribers can complain to GMA about the signal quality. The phone line has been promoted during newscasts, and is being used to collect evidence in preparation for a formal complaint against SkyCable. Similar issues also occurred with GMA's secondary network, Q.
[edit] Dispute with Solar Entertainment
Due to a dispute with SkyCable, channels owned by Solar Entertainment Corporation were removed from SkyCable's lineups on January 1st, 2008. The channels were "replaced" with several new channels: AXN Beyond, FOX Crime, Balls (a sports channel), [4] Maxxx (a channel with aimed at Men), [5] and Velvet (a channel aimed at Women). [6]
Solar Entertainment responded to the move by starting to air programming on Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC), RJTV, and SBN, in addition to already present programming on the Radio Philippines Network (RPN). An insider stated that it was the best move, while another claimed that the troubles started when Manny Pacquiao, whose matches Solar Entertainment has exclusive rights to air and distribute, switched his loyalties from ABS-CBN to GMA.
[edit] Status of Competition
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The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.(December 2007) Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. |
SkyCable competes with many cable TV providers in Metro Manila, some only operating in a certain locale in Metro Manila. But SkyCable's closest competitor in Metro Manila is Global Destiny Cable. Both have their own affiliates nationwide, and both provide their own cable internet services to subscribers. With the exodus of JackTV, Basketball TV and Solar Sports from SkyCable, Global Destiny is now a viable competitor.
Another major competitor in the Philippine pay TV industry was Dream Satellite TV, the country's first and only satellite TV provider. It operates nationwide because it can transmit its signals to its subscribers via satellite. Dream offers a very limited, and continuously shrinking number of channels, at prices far higher than than top packages of the cable providers.
[edit] See also
- Global Destiny Cable
- Dream Satellite TV
- CableLink Philippines
[edit] References
- The Philippine Star, September 7, 2007, Main Section, Page 16
- Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 8, 2007, G Section, Page 6
[edit] External links
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