Observed Signal · Sep 18, 2026 · Product Launch · Source: DWDL · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Vodafone expands GigaTV FAST channel offering with 13 new channels
Vodafone has expanded its GigaTV platform with 13 new free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels, bringing the total to 23. The new lineup includes offerings from ARD Plus (a WDR Mediagroup subsidiary), provided via partner High View, such as ARD Plus Krimi, ARD Plus Lindenstraße, and ARD Plus Zoo, plus ZDF kocht, Spiegel TV Konflikte, Top True Crime, 5-Minute Crafts, scooore, Landlust, Curiosity Now, Naruto, Marco Polo TV, and Talk?Now!. AMC Stories and Dating hinter Gittern from AMC Global Media Central Europe will be added shortly. The channels are available on GigaTV Home and GigaTV Home Sound TV boxes, offering a curated, linear-like viewing experience without subscription. Vodafone aims to strengthen GigaTV as a central entertainment platform with a wider and more diverse program.
Expansion of FAST channel offerings by a major telecom platform indicates growth in ad-supported streaming, relevant for advertisers and the CTV ecosystem.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Vodafone added 13 new FAST channels to GigaTV, bringing the total to 23.
- New channels include ARD Plus Krimi, ARD Plus Lindenstraße, ARD Plus Zoo, ZDF kocht, Spiegel TV Konflikte, and Top True Crime.
- ARD Plus channels are provided via partner High View.
- AMC Stories and Dating hinter Gittern will be added later.
- The channels are available on GigaTV Home and GigaTV Home Sound devices.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“Vodafone baut sein Angebot an FAST-Channels auf seiner Plattform GigaTV aus....”
“ARD Plus channels are provided via partner High View....”
“Auch ZDF kocht und Spiegel TV Konflikte sind Teil des FAST-Angebots....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
ZDF expands streaming offering with more than 15 new channels
ZDF is expanding its streaming portal with more than 15 new 'ZDF-Channels', topic-based linear-style channels that are clearly inspired by FAST channels but run without advertising. The channels bundle content by theme, including romance films, crime series, nature documentaries, and a dedicated non-stop channel for the popular show 'Bares für Rares'. They are integrated prominently under the 'Live & TV' menu. According to ZDF, the channels are filled by an algorithm and refreshed daily, allowing users to discover content in a lean-back mode without manually searching for individual programmes. Tina Kutscher, Head of User Products in the ZDF Audience Directorate, said the channels make it easier to discover ZDF content. The move reflects a broader trend of broadcasters adopting FAST-style channel experiences within their own streaming ecosystems.
ARD Plus and High View Launch 'ARD Plus Zoo' FAST Channel
WDR Mediagroup’s commercial streaming subsidiary ARD Plus, together with distribution partner High View, will launch a new FAST (free ad‑supported streaming) channel called ARD Plus Zoo. The channel — ARD Plus’s third FAST offering after Lindenstraße and Krimi — is scheduled to begin distribution on Samsung TV Plus on 2026-05-28. Programming will aggregate long-running ARD zoo documentary series (e.g., "Elefant, Tiger & Co." and spin-offs) and additional animal‑welfare and care formats, with continuous thematic updates and bundled episode blocks. WDR Mediagroup says the channel will be rolled out to further platforms after the Samsung TV Plus debut.
DirecTV Adds Seven FAST Channels to MyFree DirecTV
DirecTV expanded its free ad-supported streaming service MyFree DirecTV with seven new FAST channels, timed to the platform’s one-year anniversary. The additions increase sports and entertainment offerings: NBA FAST, Red Bull TV, DAZN Ringside and Pursuit UP join the sports lineup, while a content partnership with AMC Networks brings Portlandia, All Reality WeTV and programming from The Walking Dead Universe. The move is positioned as a strategic effort by the legacy pay-TV provider to grow its ad-supported audience, convert casual viewers, and better compete with FAST rivals such as Pluto TV and Tubi. DirecTV and AMC Networks formalized the agreement in a recent SEC filing that details the business terms of the expanded streaming relationship.
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