HBO, producer of such classic series as The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Game of Thrones (pictured) which started its run on Flemish TV last week, is widely credited with reviving the fortunes of cable TV in the US and with ushering in a new era of high-quality TV productions comparable to cinema. Telenet will broadcast all new HBO productions on its Prime channel, starting shortly with Veep, a satire on the life of the US vice-president starring Julia-Louis Dreyfus (Seinfeld).

Belgacom, meanwhile, has been told by the telecommunications regulator BIPT to open its digital TV network up to competition within six months. In future, companies offering internet and telephone services will also be able to offer digital TV, in what the industry calls triple-play packages. “Now more players will be able to compete with each other, and the consumer will reap the benefits,” said BIPT chair Luc Hindryck.