Category: Over The Top Services

Nexgtv acquires Sooperfly parenting shows’ international digital telecast rights

MUMBAI: Nexgtv has acquired the international digital telecast rights to the immensely popular parenting TV series, ‘The Tara Sharma Show’. The move enables new and existing nexGTv users to view content that focuses on childcare, family-centric topics and women’s & children’s issues, spread across 13 episodes each from Season 1 and 2 of the show. This unique and differentiated content is produced by digital creation agency Sooperfly, which is joint venture between Digaonal View and 120 Media Collective, South Asia’s leading content production and distribution firm.

Nexgtv COO Abhesh Verma commented, “At nexGTv, our aim is to offer consumers compelling entertainment with complete ease and convenience. Our acquisition of the digital telecast rights of ‘The Tara Sharma Show’ further strengthen our commitment to consistently get relevant content serving to the need of our customers beyond just entertainment and will enable our viewers to access inspirational stories and healthy discussions aimed at helping viewers to learn tips and tricks to good parenting. Indian viewers, both in India and abroad, can look forward to experiencing informative entertainment on our platform through their laptops, phones and tablets.”

Users at nexGTv can avail of entertainment solutions through captivating videos that run seamlessly across 2G, EDGE, 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi networks, and across Android, iOS, BlackBerry and Tizen devices. The Tara Sharma Show and other featured content by Sooperfly is made available as a part of the paid packages at nexGTv, and can be accessed be either through www.nexgtv.com or through the nexGTv mobile app.

October 18, 2016
Nexgtv acquires Sooperfly parenting shows’ international digital telecast rights

MUMBAI: Nexgtv has acquired the international digital telecast rights to the immensely popular parenting TV series, ‘The Tara Sharma Show’. The move enables new and existing nexGTv users to view content that focuses on childcare, family-centric topics and women’s & children’s issues, spread across 13 episodes each from Season 1 and 2 of the show. This unique and differentiated content is produced by digital creation agency Sooperfly, which is joint venture between Digaonal View and 120 Media Collective, South Asia’s leading content production and distribution firm.

Nexgtv COO Abhesh Verma commented, “At nexGTv, our aim is to offer consumers compelling entertainment with complete ease and convenience. Our acquisition of the digital telecast rights of ‘The Tara Sharma Show’ further strengthen our commitment to consistently get relevant content serving to the need of our customers beyond just entertainment and will enable our viewers to access inspirational stories and healthy discussions aimed at helping viewers to learn tips and tricks to good parenting. Indian viewers, both in India and abroad, can look forward to experiencing informative entertainment on our platform through their laptops, phones and tablets.”

Users at nexGTv can avail of entertainment solutions through captivating videos that run seamlessly across 2G, EDGE, 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi networks, and across Android, iOS, BlackBerry and Tizen devices. The Tara Sharma Show and other featured content by Sooperfly is made available as a part of the paid packages at nexGTv, and can be accessed be either through www.nexgtv.com or through the nexGTv mobile app.

October 18, 2016
India’s OTT video market to expand at 40% CAGR by ’20; RecoSense wins F&S award

MUMBAI: Over-the-top (OTT) video delivery has opened up business opportunities for new entrants as well as existing media companies. Frost & Sullivan’s 2016 Over the Top (OTT) Video Market Update, India, 2016 finds that the OTT video market in India has over 20 market participants and could expand at a CAGR of 40% to 355 million in terms of unique video viewers by 2020. As OTT video delivery becomes imperative for media companies, it is essential to understand the importance of customer engagement with insightful recommendations and content delivery. RecoSense provides a platform that uses automation and can help track user behavior across the Internet. It then interprets content recommendations suitable for a viewer and prolongs user engagement on a site with personalization. It also offers analytics with visualization and a content management system to enable OTT providers realize the efficacy of their services.

RecoSense, an innovative venture providing SaaS-enabled platform for Data Intelligence, has been felicitated with the ‘India OTT Video New Product Innovation Award’ at the 2016 Frost & Sullivan India Best Practices Awards held in Mumbai recently. Its SaaS-enabled platform is built on complex Graph Computing, Analytics, and Machine Learning frameworks that can facilitate efficient personalization and customer engagement for rich media content.

Congratulating RecoSense, Frost & Sullivan Global Innovation Center and Digital Media Practice research director Vidya S. Nath said, “There are three inherent problems that exist for an OTT service provider — offering an attractive video library, which is easily searchable; understanding the behavior and likes of their target audience; and keeping them engaged on their site or application as long as possible. RecoSense’s service helps solve some of these challenges as it offers a customizable platform that helps in effective discovery, personalization of recommendations, and user analytics.”

RecoSense CEO Amith Srinivas said, “RecoSense will leverage this platform to pioneer data intelligent automations for digital content to reach the suitable target users. RecoSense will strengthen the indigenous Knowledge Graph IP and build expertise in the data science areas of personalization, recommendation, and analytics. We are grateful to our customers, our team for their committed efforts, and our investors for their contribution to achieve this milestone and seek continued support from the industry to reach higher goals.”

The award recipient was judged on a variety of parameters that included financial performance rate, addressed unmet needs, key achievements, implementation of best practices, customer service experience, and brand equity. It involved in-depth primary interviews of various industry participants and secondary research conducted by Frost & Sullivan. Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Innovation & Leadership Awards identify companies that exhibit exemplary growth potential, attributed to high quality solutions and superior service capabilities.

RecoSense uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to enable automatic keyword generation, effective meta tagging, and effective recommendation engine. OTT viewership in India is highly fragmented due to diverse and multiple languages and preferences. This trend has boosted the creation and aggregation of a sizable inventory of regional content. RecoSense’s clients are leading companies in the industry, both in India and abroad, providing Video Streaming networks, Digital Publisher networks, YouTube networks, Ad networks, and e-Commerce.

RecoSense offers data intelligent platform for Metadata Generation, User Personalization, Content Recommendation, and Analytics. Given the exponential growth of digital media content across categories of Entertainment, News, Business, Sports, Music, etc.,

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants.

October 18, 2016
India’s OTT video market to expand at 40% CAGR by ’20; RecoSense wins F&S award

MUMBAI: Over-the-top (OTT) video delivery has opened up business opportunities for new entrants as well as existing media companies. Frost & Sullivan’s 2016 Over the Top (OTT) Video Market Update, India, 2016 finds that the OTT video market in India has over 20 market participants and could expand at a CAGR of 40% to 355 million in terms of unique video viewers by 2020. As OTT video delivery becomes imperative for media companies, it is essential to understand the importance of customer engagement with insightful recommendations and content delivery. RecoSense provides a platform that uses automation and can help track user behavior across the Internet. It then interprets content recommendations suitable for a viewer and prolongs user engagement on a site with personalization. It also offers analytics with visualization and a content management system to enable OTT providers realize the efficacy of their services.

RecoSense, an innovative venture providing SaaS-enabled platform for Data Intelligence, has been felicitated with the ‘India OTT Video New Product Innovation Award’ at the 2016 Frost & Sullivan India Best Practices Awards held in Mumbai recently. Its SaaS-enabled platform is built on complex Graph Computing, Analytics, and Machine Learning frameworks that can facilitate efficient personalization and customer engagement for rich media content.

Congratulating RecoSense, Frost & Sullivan Global Innovation Center and Digital Media Practice research director Vidya S. Nath said, “There are three inherent problems that exist for an OTT service provider — offering an attractive video library, which is easily searchable; understanding the behavior and likes of their target audience; and keeping them engaged on their site or application as long as possible. RecoSense’s service helps solve some of these challenges as it offers a customizable platform that helps in effective discovery, personalization of recommendations, and user analytics.”

RecoSense CEO Amith Srinivas said, “RecoSense will leverage this platform to pioneer data intelligent automations for digital content to reach the suitable target users. RecoSense will strengthen the indigenous Knowledge Graph IP and build expertise in the data science areas of personalization, recommendation, and analytics. We are grateful to our customers, our team for their committed efforts, and our investors for their contribution to achieve this milestone and seek continued support from the industry to reach higher goals.”

The award recipient was judged on a variety of parameters that included financial performance rate, addressed unmet needs, key achievements, implementation of best practices, customer service experience, and brand equity. It involved in-depth primary interviews of various industry participants and secondary research conducted by Frost & Sullivan. Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Innovation & Leadership Awards identify companies that exhibit exemplary growth potential, attributed to high quality solutions and superior service capabilities.

RecoSense uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to enable automatic keyword generation, effective meta tagging, and effective recommendation engine. OTT viewership in India is highly fragmented due to diverse and multiple languages and preferences. This trend has boosted the creation and aggregation of a sizable inventory of regional content. RecoSense’s clients are leading companies in the industry, both in India and abroad, providing Video Streaming networks, Digital Publisher networks, YouTube networks, Ad networks, and e-Commerce.

RecoSense offers data intelligent platform for Metadata Generation, User Personalization, Content Recommendation, and Analytics. Given the exponential growth of digital media content across categories of Entertainment, News, Business, Sports, Music, etc.,

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants.

October 18, 2016
Pricing, analytics, customization, video quality crucial to decide OTT market leader: Frost

MUMBAI: The nascent over the top (OTT) video market in India is growing as smartphone penetration and 3G and 4G subscribers continue to increase rapidly. The recent launch of Reliance Jio’s affordable data services and initiatives, such as Bharat Net, will continue to drive down data service prices, boosting video consumption over fixed and mobile broadband.

“It will be critical for market participants to gauge viewership trends, price sensitivity and technical requirements while offering their video services,” said Frost & Sullivan digital media director Vidya S Nath. “Pricing, data analytics, personalization and video quality will be crucial in defining the market leader in the next five years.”

The Over the Top (OTT) Video Market Update, India, 2016 analysis is part of Frost & Sullivan’s Digital Media Growth Partnership Service program, which includes research, consumer analytics, consulting and advisory services on pay television (TV) services and media technologies.

While the dominance of YouTube and TV reins in subscription-based models, making digital advertising the most used business model for now, OTT video providers have confidence in the growth prospects of the market:

. India has over 300 million Internet users and about a billion smartphone users

. Millennials and Gen Y comprise about a third of the population and are driving viewership trends toward personalized content

. The country’s fragmented demography offers more than 20 types of audiences by major languages, creating tremendous opportunity for content creators and producers

. OTT providers can target Indian immigrants internationally

The market is already crowded with about 25 market participants that include telecom operators, direct-to-home (DTH) TV providers, broadcasters and individual OTT providers. The number of participants will grow further over the next two years.

“Even though the return on investment for OTT services providers is slow and does not justify the business proposition in the short run, competition will spur all broadcasters to consider the OTT business,” noted research analyst Aafia Bathool. “Exclusive content at a competitive price with a sophisticated, user-friendly interface is the way forward. To achieve this, the market will see increasing strategic alliances among ecosystem players.”

Key participants in the current market include Hotstar, Eros Now, Ditto TV (Zee Networks), Asianet Mobile, YouTube, and Netflix. New market participants who will likely intensify competition include Amazon and Balaji ALT. Other market participants include Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vodafone, Zee Network, Voot, Viacom, Spuul, Veqta, Yupp TV, Dish TV, HOOQ, Hungama, Shemaroo, SonyLIV, and Tatasky.

October 17, 2016
Pricing, analytics, customization, video quality crucial to decide OTT market leader: Frost

MUMBAI: The nascent over the top (OTT) video market in India is growing as smartphone penetration and 3G and 4G subscribers continue to increase rapidly. The recent launch of Reliance Jio’s affordable data services and initiatives, such as Bharat Net, will continue to drive down data service prices, boosting video consumption over fixed and mobile broadband.

“It will be critical for market participants to gauge viewership trends, price sensitivity and technical requirements while offering their video services,” said Frost & Sullivan digital media director Vidya S Nath. “Pricing, data analytics, personalization and video quality will be crucial in defining the market leader in the next five years.”

The Over the Top (OTT) Video Market Update, India, 2016 analysis is part of Frost & Sullivan’s Digital Media Growth Partnership Service program, which includes research, consumer analytics, consulting and advisory services on pay television (TV) services and media technologies.

While the dominance of YouTube and TV reins in subscription-based models, making digital advertising the most used business model for now, OTT video providers have confidence in the growth prospects of the market:

. India has over 300 million Internet users and about a billion smartphone users

. Millennials and Gen Y comprise about a third of the population and are driving viewership trends toward personalized content

. The country’s fragmented demography offers more than 20 types of audiences by major languages, creating tremendous opportunity for content creators and producers

. OTT providers can target Indian immigrants internationally

The market is already crowded with about 25 market participants that include telecom operators, direct-to-home (DTH) TV providers, broadcasters and individual OTT providers. The number of participants will grow further over the next two years.

“Even though the return on investment for OTT services providers is slow and does not justify the business proposition in the short run, competition will spur all broadcasters to consider the OTT business,” noted research analyst Aafia Bathool. “Exclusive content at a competitive price with a sophisticated, user-friendly interface is the way forward. To achieve this, the market will see increasing strategic alliances among ecosystem players.”

Key participants in the current market include Hotstar, Eros Now, Ditto TV (Zee Networks), Asianet Mobile, YouTube, and Netflix. New market participants who will likely intensify competition include Amazon and Balaji ALT. Other market participants include Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vodafone, Zee Network, Voot, Viacom, Spuul, Veqta, Yupp TV, Dish TV, HOOQ, Hungama, Shemaroo, SonyLIV, and Tatasky.

October 17, 2016
Sports platform Rooter raises funds from Kwan Entertainment, Prantik Dasgupta & Boman Irani

MUMBAI: Rooter, a sports social platform that connects sports fans and engages them during live sporting events, has announced the successful completion of a part of its angel investment round. Enabled by Kwan Entertainment, the round was led by Bollywood star Boman Irani and saw participation from Kwan Entertainment partner Dhruv Chitgopekar and corporate professional and avid sports enthusiast Prantik Dasgupta.

The funds secured will be used to strengthen the technology team at Rooter as well as to create strategic partnerships with various sports platforms, teams, fan clubs and associations.

“Rooter is based on the inherent need of sports fans to connect and interact with one another across the real and the digital worlds. The idea behind Rooter was unique and interesting, which is why we have been able to raise funds from investors such as Boman, Dhruv and Prantik. This comes as a major shot in the arm for us, and encourages us to push on and use technology to make the sports consumption experience even better and more enjoyable,” said Rooter founder and CEO Piyush.

Offering a chance for sports fans to connect with one another across real and virtual worlds, the mobile-based platform helps users engage with others sharing their passion. With its focus on smart technology, Rooter takes sporting interactions beyond generic social media platforms by allowing fans to connect through pre-match quizzes and chat forums, unique live match prediction games and post-match interactions in order to share their insights, predictions, analysis and opinions of the game.

The involvement of Kwan Entertainment underlines the potential of Rooter in the Indian as well as the global sports market. The investment also marks the Irani’s investment in the growing start-up landscape.

Irani added, “I am proud to be part of the world’s first platform that connects sports fans and engages them to discuss, predict, quiz and even meet offline during the world’s most exciting sporting events. With Rooter’s unique approach, likeminded sporting buddies around the world are now one.”

Initially focussing on the Indian market, Rooter’s primary emphasis will be on football events such as European club football seasons and Indian Super League (ISL). The platform will also be offering engagement opportunities to cricket fans across India ahead of the ongoing cricket season. Other niche sports, such as F1 and NBA, will also be covered, providing Indian sports enthusiasts a chance to interact with their peers and revel in their passion for their preferred sports.

October 17, 2016
Sports platform Rooter raises funds from Kwan Entertainment, Prantik Dasgupta & Boman Irani

MUMBAI: Rooter, a sports social platform that connects sports fans and engages them during live sporting events, has announced the successful completion of a part of its angel investment round. Enabled by Kwan Entertainment, the round was led by Bollywood star Boman Irani and saw participation from Kwan Entertainment partner Dhruv Chitgopekar and corporate professional and avid sports enthusiast Prantik Dasgupta.

The funds secured will be used to strengthen the technology team at Rooter as well as to create strategic partnerships with various sports platforms, teams, fan clubs and associations.

“Rooter is based on the inherent need of sports fans to connect and interact with one another across the real and the digital worlds. The idea behind Rooter was unique and interesting, which is why we have been able to raise funds from investors such as Boman, Dhruv and Prantik. This comes as a major shot in the arm for us, and encourages us to push on and use technology to make the sports consumption experience even better and more enjoyable,” said Rooter founder and CEO Piyush.

Offering a chance for sports fans to connect with one another across real and virtual worlds, the mobile-based platform helps users engage with others sharing their passion. With its focus on smart technology, Rooter takes sporting interactions beyond generic social media platforms by allowing fans to connect through pre-match quizzes and chat forums, unique live match prediction games and post-match interactions in order to share their insights, predictions, analysis and opinions of the game.

The involvement of Kwan Entertainment underlines the potential of Rooter in the Indian as well as the global sports market. The investment also marks the Irani’s investment in the growing start-up landscape.

Irani added, “I am proud to be part of the world’s first platform that connects sports fans and engages them to discuss, predict, quiz and even meet offline during the world’s most exciting sporting events. With Rooter’s unique approach, likeminded sporting buddies around the world are now one.”

Initially focussing on the Indian market, Rooter’s primary emphasis will be on football events such as European club football seasons and Indian Super League (ISL). The platform will also be offering engagement opportunities to cricket fans across India ahead of the ongoing cricket season. Other niche sports, such as F1 and NBA, will also be covered, providing Indian sports enthusiasts a chance to interact with their peers and revel in their passion for their preferred sports.

October 17, 2016
Facebook-Google building 120-Tbps submarine cable to Asia by mid ’18

MUMBAI: Two internet majors Facebook and Google have come together with Pacific Light Data Communications to build the first direct submarine cable system between Los Angeles (U.S.) and Hong Kong in efforts to speed up connections in Asia’s most happening business centre.

The Pacific Light Cable Network (PLCN) will have 12,800km of fibre and an estimated cable capacity of 120 Tbps, making it the highest-capacity trans-Pacific route, a record held at present by Faster. another Google-backed cable system. PLCN will then provide enough capacity for Hong Kong to have 80 million concurrent HD video conference calls with Los Angeles.

Google Networking Infrastructure director, Brian Quigley said Google’s mission was to connect people to the information by providing fast and reliable infrastructure, India TV reported. From data centres to cables under the sea, Google was dedicated to building infrastructure that reaches more people than ever before.

Scheduled for commercial launch in summer of 2018, PLCN will include TE SubCom’s C+L technology, a major step forward in available cable transmission capacity that effectively doubles the available bandwidth and capacity per fiber pair over a traditional C-band-only designed system. Once completed, PLCN will be the highest-capacity transpacific route.

“PLCN will be among the lowest-latency fiber optic routes between Hong Kong and the U.S. and the first to connect directly using ultra-high-capacity transmission,” said PLDC. chairman Wei Junkang.

“It is certainly gratifying that global technology companies like Google and Facebook have become co-investors in PLCN. It is a strong signal that PLCN will be trusted to address the capacity needs for internet and international communications services throughout the Pacific Rim. We envision this deployment as the initial step in PLDC’s construction of a global network.”

“PLCN will showcase the ultra-high-capacity designs and industry-leading wet plant technologies that have enabled TE SubCom to become the manufacturing partner of choice for the world’s most advanced undersea networks,” said Aaron Stucki, president of TE SubCom.

Pacific Light Data Communication is set to become a leading regional broadband communications service provider that will build and operate the first subsea cable directly connecting Hong Kong and the US.

TE SubCom, as a vertically integrated supplier, SubCom designs, manufactures, deploys, and maintains the industry’s most reliable fiber optic cable systems. Its solutions include long-haul and regional systems, repeaterless networks, capacity upgrades, offshore oil and gas, and scientific research applications. TE Connectivity is a $12 billion global technology leader whose connectivity and sensor solutions are essential in today’s increasingly connected world.

October 14, 2016
Facebook-Google building 120-Tbps submarine cable to Asia by mid ’18

MUMBAI: Two internet majors Facebook and Google have come together with Pacific Light Data Communications to build the first direct submarine cable system between Los Angeles (U.S.) and Hong Kong in efforts to speed up connections in Asia’s most happening business centre.

The Pacific Light Cable Network (PLCN) will have 12,800km of fibre and an estimated cable capacity of 120 Tbps, making it the highest-capacity trans-Pacific route, a record held at present by Faster. another Google-backed cable system. PLCN will then provide enough capacity for Hong Kong to have 80 million concurrent HD video conference calls with Los Angeles.

Google Networking Infrastructure director, Brian Quigley said Google’s mission was to connect people to the information by providing fast and reliable infrastructure, India TV reported. From data centres to cables under the sea, Google was dedicated to building infrastructure that reaches more people than ever before.

Scheduled for commercial launch in summer of 2018, PLCN will include TE SubCom’s C+L technology, a major step forward in available cable transmission capacity that effectively doubles the available bandwidth and capacity per fiber pair over a traditional C-band-only designed system. Once completed, PLCN will be the highest-capacity transpacific route.

“PLCN will be among the lowest-latency fiber optic routes between Hong Kong and the U.S. and the first to connect directly using ultra-high-capacity transmission,” said PLDC. chairman Wei Junkang.

“It is certainly gratifying that global technology companies like Google and Facebook have become co-investors in PLCN. It is a strong signal that PLCN will be trusted to address the capacity needs for internet and international communications services throughout the Pacific Rim. We envision this deployment as the initial step in PLDC’s construction of a global network.”

“PLCN will showcase the ultra-high-capacity designs and industry-leading wet plant technologies that have enabled TE SubCom to become the manufacturing partner of choice for the world’s most advanced undersea networks,” said Aaron Stucki, president of TE SubCom.

Pacific Light Data Communication is set to become a leading regional broadband communications service provider that will build and operate the first subsea cable directly connecting Hong Kong and the US.

TE SubCom, as a vertically integrated supplier, SubCom designs, manufactures, deploys, and maintains the industry’s most reliable fiber optic cable systems. Its solutions include long-haul and regional systems, repeaterless networks, capacity upgrades, offshore oil and gas, and scientific research applications. TE Connectivity is a $12 billion global technology leader whose connectivity and sensor solutions are essential in today’s increasingly connected world.

October 14, 2016