First TV
Encyclopedia
First TV was the name of a cable television
network that was operated in New Zealand
's two main North Island
cities, Auckland
and Wellington
by Telecom New Zealand
in the 1990s.
offered 600 households in Auckland the three national broadcast channels that were operating, Action TV, three of Sky's subscription channels and six other channels. Considered a success the trial was extended and later expanded to include cable rollout in Wellington.
services only.
First Media provided traditional channels as well as a pay-per-view
service that allowed subscribers to purchase movies as they wish to view them. First Media also offered the ability to view other channels on a per day basis and operated a music video
channel called "The Cube" that allowed subscribers to request songs.
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
network that was operated in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's two main North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
cities, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
by Telecom New Zealand
Telecom New Zealand
Telecom New Zealand is a New Zealand-wide communications service provider , providing fixed line telephone services, a mobile network, an internet service provider , a major ICT provider to NZ businesses , and a wholesale network infrastructure provider to other NZ CSPs...
in the 1990s.
Trial stage
First Media was an owned subsidiary of Telecom NZ. First Media ran the two cable operations in Auckland and Wellington which traded as First Television. First Media was started as a trial of cable television by Telecom in 1995. The trial, which operated in association with SKY Network TelevisionSKY Network Television
Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...
offered 600 households in Auckland the three national broadcast channels that were operating, Action TV, three of Sky's subscription channels and six other channels. Considered a success the trial was extended and later expanded to include cable rollout in Wellington.
Commercial success
As part of plans to turn the trial into a commercial operation First Media had planned to lay cable past 140,000 homes by June 1998; however in November 1996 with only 80,000 homes past Telecom announced a halt to the rollout. Telecom decided to focus on utilising its existing network of UTP copper cable. On June 5, with a pilot ADSL trial operational, Telecom announced First Media was to be shut down on July 31. Cable subscribers were disconnected and offered a refund on installation costs while DSL subscribers continue to receive InternetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
services only.
First Media provided traditional channels as well as a pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
service that allowed subscribers to purchase movies as they wish to view them. First Media also offered the ability to view other channels on a per day basis and operated a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
channel called "The Cube" that allowed subscribers to request songs.