Bell Media strikes distribution deal for video streaming service ‘Project Latte’

TORONTO – Bell Media has struck a distribution deal with three major telecommunications companies to deliver its new video streaming service.

The service, codenamed “Project Latte,” will be offered across Canada by Telus, Bell Aliant and Bell Canada, the multimedia giant announced Wednesday.

Customers with Telus Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV and Bell Aliant FibreOP TV set-top boxes will be offered “Project Latte” when it launches. It will also be available via mobile apps, the web, game consoles and smart TVs.

Bell Media says “Project Latte” will feature thousands of hours of television content. It’s the only streaming platform in Canada to boast HBO’s entire off-air library of shows including “Sex and the City,” “The Sopranos” and “The Wire.”

“Project Latte” arrives on the heels of Rogers and Shaw Media’s Shomi, a streaming video service with a catalogue of popular shows including “Modern Family” and “New Girl” that was officially launched Tuesday.

Bell Media announced its “Project Latte” last week and promised it would be made available to every TV provider in Canada. Pricing and packaging details have yet to be announced.

Bell Media president Kevin Crull said in a press release that the company looks forward to announcing more partners as it moves closer to the launch.

“With the first of Canada’s major television providers signed on, representing approximately 3.5 million customers across the country, we are well on our way to delivering on our objective of serving every TV subscriber in Canada with Project Latte,” he said.