Replay TV: these changes are coming your way
Replay TV is one of the most popular features of digital television. Users can use it to watch shows from the past and skip the advertising. Now, changes are planned for Replay TV, including the price. Comparis explains what you need to know.
16.08.2022
iStock/simpson33
1. What is Replay TV?
Replay TV enables time-delayed television. This means that you have access to TV programmes usually up to seven days after they first air. If you watch a show on Replay TV, you can fast-forward. Many use this to skip advertising breaks, for example.
Replay TV: what offers are there?
Replay TV is included in most digital TV subscriptions. The replay function availability varies depending on the provider. In most cases, it is seven days, but sometimes only 30 hours. In addition, Replay TV is not available for all channels. In other words, it is definitely worthwhile comparing the different options.
2. What Replay TV changes are planned?
The TV service introduced a new fee structure as of 4 October 2022 (Common Tariff 12). The reason for this is the channels’ loss of advertising revenue when the television audience fast forwards advertising breaks. In the future, viewers will be able to choose how much advertising they want to see. You can also view programs that are up to 14 days old (instead of 7 days).
Are advertising blocks displayed in Replay TV?
As of October 2022, the display of advertising content on replay TV looks like this:
Short advertisement before the broadcast
Display advertising when the pause button is pressed
Short adverts when skipping the advertising break
Good to know: you no longer have to fast-forward manually when starting Replay TV – the show starts right after the first advert.
What new Replay TV models are there?
Users of Replay TV are expected to be able to choose between these offers:
Classic rewind function as before
Playing a single ad instead of the entire advertising break when fast-forwarding
Replay TV without fast-forward/rewind functions
How will the changes affect the price of Replay TV?
How much you pay for Replay TV in the future depends on the selected subscription model, the provider and how much advertising you want to see. Most providers have not yet set the new price structures. Jean-Claude Frick, digital expert at Comparis, gives an initial assessment:
Compulsory advertising or price increase?
More than half of users are willing to see forced advertising on Replay TV. People are rather less likely to accept price increases. This is shown by a survey from Comparis. Especially among younger audiences, willingness to pay is comparatively high: 57 percent would pay at least 5 francs per month for the rewind function.
3. Replay TV providers: what are the differences?
Replay TV is currently available from the vast majority of digital TV providers. However, they differ in the range of programs and, of course, in the price. The cheapest offer starts at 9.50 francs per month. Many telecom providers offer digital TV only in combination with an internetand/or landline connection.
An overview of the most important TV subscriptions in Switzerland can be found here:
| Provider | Price per month | Products | Activation fee |
Minimum contract period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swisscom | from CHF 69.80 | Internet, TV | CHF 89 | 24 months |
| Sunrise | from CHF 54.90 | Internet, TV, landline | CHF 89 | 24 months |
| Salt | from CHF 49.95 | Internet, TV, landline | CHF 99.95 | None |
| Teleboy | from CHF 9.50 | TV only | None | 12 months |
| Zattoo | from CHF 12 | TV only | None | None |
| iWay | from CHF 20 | TV only | CHF 50 | 12 months |
| TV Plus | from CHF 24.90 | TV only | none, but CHF 99.90 for hardware | 3 months |
| Quickline | from CHF 54 | Internet, TV, landline | CHF 79 | 24 months |
| Green | from CHF 42.95 | Internet, TV, landline | None | 24 months |
| Yallo | from CHF 44 | Internet, TV | CHF 168.00 | 24 months |
| M-Budget | from CHF 54.80 | Internet, TV, landline | CHF 99 | 12 months |
| SolNet | from CHF 55 | Internet, TV, landline | CHF 50 | 24 months |
| Wingo | from CHF 60 | Internet, TV, landline | CHF 90 | None |
| Init 7 | from CHF 75.75 | Internet, TV | None | 12 months |
Good to know: there are some digital TV providers that only operate regionally and are not listed in the overview.
This article was first published on 16.08.2022
