FIRST LOOK! VOD.TV to deliver 150 hours of television per month without the need of a cellphone as SouthTel plans launch for early 2012.

SouthTel that's currently in a trial phase with MTN as I told you RIGHT HERE for its video-on-demand (VOD) TV satellite service will be rolling out there service with this HD decoder - and will have 150 hours of television per month on offer when it launches early in the new year.

I can also reveal that SouthTel is now looking at early 2012 for its commercial launch which would initially have been in August 2011. SouthTel decided to postpone after MultiChoice's VOD hiccups with DStv BoxOffice in July.

And besides your first look at the VOD.TV decoder above, here is your first look at the VOD.TV remote control on the right.

Where the current DStv remote control has 5 colour buttons, the VOD.TV decoder will have a remote control with 4 coloured square buttons in red, green, yellow and blue. Similar to DStv Box Office, VOD.TV will cycle some of the content monthly.

Unlike DStv BoxOffice, the VOD.TV decoder will be connected to the internet, so subscribers won't need a cellphone. Subscribers and users will refresh and top up their accounts through the TV interface of the VOD.TV decoder, SouthTel now says on its website.