Bright Blue To Compete With Open Interactive

Energis Interactive has unveiled Bright Blue as the brand name for its t-commerce portal slated to launch in the spring. The company is taking advantage of Oftel’s instructions to BSkyB last autumn to open up its EPG to other interactive services other than its own Open portal. Energis has subsequently signed a deal with BSkyB and plans to offer a “broad range of services” including shops, banking, travel, betting and recruitment.

Bright Blue’s key differentiation will be that its service will not only be available on satellite, via Astra 2B, but also the Internet and WAP-enabled mobile phones. The system will be powered by Graham Technology’s GT-X software.

Tim Harris, managing director Energis Interactive told Interspace that he had so far contracted with SES-Astra for one transponder with the intention of adding more as the service developed. Open used two transponders on launch and currently runs across four.

Each user of the portal would be charged on a bespoke basis and the cost of the bandwidth taken would also be passed on. Highlighting the differences between Bright Blue and Open, Harris said it would be possible for a Bright Blue user to order a flight on the TV portal then later change their requirements on the Internet a little later. Users would be required to register their details to access both services. The first customers are expected to be announced within a few weeks.

Bright Blue has also struck up a partnership with DBC, which operates the U Direct PPV service on the Sky Digital platform to provide a series of interactive features.