Montreal: Videotron has launched its digital television service, primarily in competition with Look tv’s ‘wireless cable’ launched in January. Videotron is offering three digital packages, two featuring consumer discretionary options.

Most of the early orders have been for the 72-channel Telemax Ultra option, says Jean Paul Galarneau, gm communications at Videotron.

The digital service adds many previously unavailable channels in the greater Montreal region including the Women’s Television Network, The Golf Channel, The Comedy Network, Treehouse tv, Food Network, The Nashville Network, MuchMoreMusic, Prime, Outdoor Life, Home & Garden tv, bet and Speedvision.

New pay-tv options include Asian Television Network (the Chinese-language Fairchild tv service), Odyssey Television, Playboy Channel and the 30-channel, cd-quality Galaxie audio service.

Look claims to be available in 80% of homes in the greater Montreal region. Its aggressive print and tv advertising campaign ignores dth competition to directly target what it calls the lack of consumer choice from cable.

At the end of March, Videotron had over 1.5 million basic service subscribers, including 1.18 million extended basic subscribers, 273,228 for interactive services and 192,862 for pay-tv services. Discretionary service subscriptions are up 6% over last year.