Tesco is launching a broadband TV channel in partnership with broadband content provider Homechoice.

The trial will run for one month and although Tesco say that "We have no other similar trials planned at the present time", many insiders think that this is just a start and that supermarket will eventually provide a full VoD service. According to HomeChoice, the goal of the trial is to determine viewer reaction to "brand-created on-demand content."

The channel will show content from Tesco Sport for School and Clubs scheme, which was launched last year and features sports stars including marathon runner Paula Radcliffe, footballer Frank Lampard and rugby player Jason Gardner but could expand to provide channels, such as cookery programming and interactive TV shopping services.

As Tesco is already the fourth largest UK online retailer after Amazon, Dell and Argos so moving in this direction is a logical step for the supermarket giant.