Telewest corners high-definition market ahead of World Cup

Few football fans will be able to watch the World Cup in high definition, with only Telewest, selected Freeview and Sky HD customers getting games using the format.

Telewest has secured agreements with both the BBC and ITV to broadcast all games in high definition. Coverage of the World Cup is split 50:50 between them.

To heap further misery on football fans, there is a dearth of the necessary HD set-top boxes used by Sky . The company said that anyone who has recently signed up for installation won't get the high-definition boxes until July.

Even current Sky HD customers will only be able to watch games shown by the BBC in high definition.

NTL customers will also lose out, despite Telewest's recent merger with the cable giant. Although the Telewest TV Drive HD-ready personal video recorder (PVR) should work with NTL, it is not due to release HD-ready PVRs until the end of this year.

For those with  Freeview HD-ready PVRs, only a closed group of terrest rial triallists in London will be able to watch the games in high definition.

Telewest will also show live coverage of Wimbledon as well as other BBC HD-ready programmes, including Planet Earth and forthcoming family drama Robin Hood. 

Planned ITV HD programmes include classic films such as All Quiet on the Western Front and The Big Sleep, plus drama including Agatha Christie's Poirot.

Telewest has also signed a third deal with Channel 4 and shows such as Lost and Desperate Housewives will be on offer from a video library of high definition programmes.

Philip Snalune, managing director, consumer products, for NTL Telewest, said: "The beautiful game is about to get a serious makeover. Telewest customers
with TVDrive will be able to watch every World Cup game in stunning high
definition.

"For those who aren't gripped by England's exploits, we're also lining up alternative HD entertainment. Since we launched Britain's first HDTV service, thousands of football fans have invested in HD-ready screens in anticipation of the World Cup and we're flying in additional TVDrives to satisfy demand."

Viewers will need Telewest's TVDrive and an HD-ready television set to watch high definition programmes.