Igloo TV and Slingshot have gotten into bed with each other, the former to get inside of more homes and the latter to sweeten the deal for its products.
Launching this weekend (14 April) are broadband plans from Slingshot with Igloo bundled in, including one which includes 50 GB of data, a home line, an Igloo set-top box and 12 months of Igloo’s channel package (usually $24 per month) for $99 a month. Slingshot and Igloo already have a deal to provide unmetered content, so this is a natural partnership says acting Igloo general manager David Joyce.
“We’re super excited about this deal, it’s a great way to get a new segment of New Zealand onto paid-TV,” he says.
Igloo, a joint venture between Sky TV and TVNZ (with Sky holding the majority), has kept its subscriber figures close to its chest. Neither TVNZ nor Sky have confirmed the number of current Igloo
customers. Sky initially forecast a grand total of 50,000 subscribers
within its first year, this was cut back to a more humble 30,000 figure
by chief executive John Fellet in a recent NBR interview. Last week it was revealed that Igloo may take up to six years to break even.
Joyce’s predecessor Chaz Savage told StopPress bundle deals with telcos would be a key part of Igloo’s marketing in the future , especially as a way of promoting fast content download speeds on Ultra Fast Fibre (UFB) products. Joyce kept mum when asked if there were any other telco deals in the works for Igloo.
“At this stage we’re focused on Slingshot. [But] who knows what the future might bring,” he says.
Joyce says more details will be announced this Sunday when the plans launch in earnest.
