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News Burst: PowerChannel to give away two million set-top boxes

Graeme Wearden ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 30 Oct 2000 11:34 GMT

Two million UK consumers will be given free set-top boxes to surf the Internet by PowerChannel over the next three years, in return for submitting details of their shopping habits, the company said Friday.

PowerChannel, which is backed by Granada Media Group, is expected to begin shipping its TV Internet box in time for Christmas. The company chief executive officer Jay Gambrell has confirmed plans to supply at least two million units over the next three years.

The boxes will allow users to surf the Net via their television, using a browser developed by US company PlanetWeb.

In return, users will be asked to complete a detailed questionnaire each month, listing items they are interested in buying. PowerChannel will sell these details and information about its users' surfing habits on to other firms.

Full story to follow.

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