Bell, Telus sign on to offer 'Project Latte' streaming

The Bell Media logo is displayed on a building in Toronto in this handout photo. (Bell Media / Darren Goldstein)

Three major telecoms have signed on to deliver Bell Media’s new streaming video service to customers across the country.

Bell Aliant, Bell Canada and Telus were the first to reach a distribution deal for the video service, code named ‘Project Latte.’

In a news release issued Wednesday, Bell Media said customers with Telus Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV and Bell Aliant FibreOP TV set-top boxes will be offered access to the streaming service at launch. Customers will also be able to watch content with mobile apps, the web, game consoles and smart TVs.

The subscription service announced last Thursday promises to offer high-quality TV shows not available through any other service.

The distribution deal announced Wednesday with the major television service providers represents approximately 3.5 million customers, Bell Media President Kevin Crull said in the news release.

“We look forward to announcing even more partners as we move closer to the launch of what is to become Canada’s premium streaming service,” said Crull.

David Fuller, Telus President of Consumer and Small Business Solutions, said the deal expands choices for Telus customers.

“Project Latte will offer TELUS Optik TV customers expanded, compelling content choices directly from their set-top box,” said Fuller

The full ‘Project Latte’ catalogue has yet to be released, but Bell Media expects to offer 10,000 hours of TV content featuring shows from “many world-class content partners.” Ten per cent of that lineup will be filled out by an exclusive partnership with HBO to stream all of its off-air scripted shows in Canada. That lengthy list of hits includes the likes of ‘The Sopranos,’ ‘Entourage,’ ‘Oz’ and ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm.’

‘Project Latte’ will also give viewers access to hundreds of titles from HBO Films, HBO Documentaries and HBO’s extensive catalogue of stand-up comedy specials from the likes of Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, Louis C.K. and Sarah Silverman.

Pricing, packaging details and the service’s final name will be announced “in the weeks to come,” Bell Media says.

Bell Media is the parent company of CTV News.