Telefonica has unveiled a service called Social TV at Mobile World Congress, which the company describes as a “pioneering and unique” initiative in the world of television. The service, which is still in beta, will allow users to interact with other people directly on their TV screen without having to connect via other social networks such as Facebook or Twitter. Telefonica said viewers will be able to use Social TV to comment, debate or talk to friends or contacts during any live programme via a conference call and simultaneous chat system. “This is a leap forward towards interactivity of television based on an innovation project that offers much more to the customer than simply live-tweeting a TV show with the mobile,” said the company in a statement.
The operator explained that the social conversation conducted via text, chat or voice and image will appear on the TV screen in real time while the content is being broadcast. The company took advantage of its appearance at MWC to demonstrate the interaction between Social TV and its Movistar+ Spanish pay-TV platform.
The company also reiterated that it will gradually roll out its pay-TV service to seven new countries in 2016: Ecuador, Uruguay, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Telefonica currently has 4.5 million pay-TV customers in Latin America, where it offers TV and video-on-demand through various technology platforms in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.
