ITV

Category: iWorld

  • Telenity provides location-based services to BSNL

    Telenity provides location-based services to BSNL

    MUMBAI: Telenity, a provider of next generation converged services platforms and applications for communications networks, will be providing location-based services (LBS) solution to India’s state-owned telecom giant, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) through its partner Tier 1 network equipment providers (NEPs).

    Telenity provides its Canvas LES, Location Enabling Server, and 14 location-based services to BSNL that will enable the operator to offer personalised value added location-based services to its mobile customers. This highly scalable location solution will serve BSNL network infrastructure expected to grow from approximately 14 million to 70 million subscribers, and is expected to support world’s largest deployment to date.

    “Location-based value added services are absolutely essential for carriers to effectively compete and differentiate in the wireless marketplace. Worldwide carrier revenues from location-based services are expected to climb from a little less than $1 billion in 2005 to nearly $8.5 billion by 2010,” said Telenity CEO Dilip Singh.

    “Our converged location and presence solution supports complete and total privacy of location-based services across any network. It not only increases BSNL’s enhanced service offerings and ARPU, but just as significantly, enables BSNL to aggressively pursue a wide variety of new business models, including resale and revenue sharing options. This deployment shows Telenity’s commitment to serve one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world,” he added.

    Telenity’s LBS solution is a crucial part of BSNL’s expansion of its GSM/GPRS digital wireless network in the south, east and north zones of India. It includes Telenity’s Canvas LES, which ensures subscribers can easily find, locate or monitor phones and other assets based on their geographic position, points of interest and securely fine-tune their privacy profile on the fly when they want it and 14 location-based services including:

    Real Time Fleet and Asset Management – enables enterprises to locate, monitor and manage their mobile assets and employees in a secure way using a simple Web browser.

    Friend Finder – alerts subscribers when one of their friends in their buddy list is in close proximity to their location or vice versa.

    Mobile Yellow Pages – allows subscribers to get the location of the closest service point of their interest.

    City Sightseeing – provides subscribers with the location information of a place of interest – restaurant, museum, theater, park, etc.

    Telenity’s LBS solution is developed utilizing the Canvas service creation environment, telephony applications server and service delivery gateway. Telenity’s LBS solution is the most comprehensive and advanced in the world today and is positioned for VAS in IP Multimedia Subsystem enabled and 3G networks.

    “As we expand our network, our main goal is to meet the personalisation needs of our fast growing subscriber base and strengthen our position in the industry as an innovator and leader in mobile value added services. The location-based services solution from Telenity will allow differentiate BSNL mobile value added services and increase average revenues per user,” said BSNL general manager mobile services S. Krishnan.

    “Within just more then a year of operation in India, Telenity has expanded its workforce to fully support customers in India,. We are rapidly moving ahead with our commitment in the region by establishing center of excellence for APAC in India. This will ensure BSNL services are up and running all the time” said Telenity general manager Asia Pacific Ashwani Vachher.

    India is among the fastest growing telecommunications markets in the world. In a country of over one billion people, teledensity now stands at about eleven percent or around 120 million people. This figure is expected to grow to 30 per cent by 2010, according to the Department of Telecommunications of India.

  • Optibase IPTV platforms enable Real-Time Video Traffic Monitoring in Korea

    Optibase IPTV platforms enable Real-Time Video Traffic Monitoring in Korea

    MUMBAI: The California-headquartered Optibase, Ltd., one of the leading providers of advanced digital video solutions, has announced that Korea Highway Corporation (KHC) has integrated the Optibase MGW 5100 carrier-grade IPTV streaming platform to enable live video monitoring of the country’s highways.

    The KHC has stationed analog video cameras alongside the highways to collect traffic information in real-time. The video feeds containing this information are delivered over a fiber network to centrally control information for processing and analyzing. The Optibase MGW 5100 encodes the feeds into both H.264 and Windows Media format for the delivery of high quality video streams, in real time, to KHC’s Regional Control centers, monitoring the traffic conditions from afar, informs an official release.

    Additionally, an on-board Windows Media Server, fully supported by the advanced architecture of the MGW 5100 platform and WMT encoders, enables viewing of traffic conditions on the KHC Web site using any PC or PDA running a Windows Media Player. This provides drivers with maximum traffic information before they approach the highways. Samsung Networks provided integration for the video deployment, the release adds.

    “KHC needed a solution that would enable streaming a large number of channels in low bit rates while maintaining superior quality,” says S.T. Kim, GM of Diginix, Optibase’s partner in Korea. “The system had to be extremely stable as we rely on it to provide accurate information in real-time. The Optibase platform provided us with high quality encoding and streaming, and high availability and reliability, all packaged in a compact chassis that results in lower operating expenses. Furthermore, we can now easily monitor traffic conditions using a single management system which is a significant benefit.”

    “We are pleased to have an opportunity to demonstrate how our IPTV streaming solution is not only a major requirement of Telecom operators for IPTV deployments worldwide, but is also sought by corporations and agencies such as KHC that need high quality and high stability video applications,” says Yossi Aloni, VP of marketing at Optibase. “Through close cooperation with our partners, we have provided a sophisticated video system tailored to KHC’s needs.”

  • Archer launches IPTV platform for Indian content in the US

    Archer launches IPTV platform for Indian content in the US

    MUMBAI: Archer Entertainment Media Communications which works in different areas of digital content has launched an IPTV platform, www.IndiaTVLive.com, in the US to distribute Indian content.

    Full-time broadcasting, in every Indian language, to 40 million Indians living outside of India and 1.2 billion Indian subscribers in India via www.indiatvlive.com and www.indiaradiolive.com will begin by 15 August 2006, marking the 59th anniversary of India’s independence.

    www.IndiaTVLive.com will stream Indian TV, radio and internet content to subscribers over IPTV. It will enable all Indian media via Internet Protocol to deliver television and radio channels real time, live and direct from India in as good as high definition television quality on wired, Wi-fi and cellular devices worldwide. The content will comprise news, sports and entertainment in all Indian languages.

    IndiaTVLive.com’s content and marketing partners include Shama Broadcast & Content Service India and Creative Content Services India owned and operated by Kedar Nath Gupta. Abhesh Verma is the CEO of India Broadcast Live, an Archer supported company.

    Archer Entertainment COO Munish Gupta said, “Teaming up with Abhesh, Archer was able to put together a state-of-the-art digital technology platform to broadcast the top channels from India. We will deliver channels real time and live from one of the fastest growing and dynamic countries in the world but also guarantee terrific consumer experience in terms of quality. This is the first time that the world will watch news and events as they unfold in India on any device connected by high speed Internet. This is just the beginning of what Archer and www.indiatvlive.com intend to deliver.”

    India’s Union Cabinet minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vyalar Ravi expressed delight that this new (IPTV) platform will connect expatriates with instantaneous news and information from India thereby making the ministry’s job simpler. “I personally know both the promoters, father (Kedar Nath Gupta) and son (Munish Gupta), and their hard and consistent work in media and for the community.” The Indian Minister added that the service could further enhance the fast-growing relationship and investment by overseas Indians into India.

    Verma said, “The platform provides us the extremely lucrative opportunity to reach both inside and outside of India. Overseas Indians represent the most affluent ethnic consumers of any expatriate group. Within India, we will target a whopping 500 million consumer class with a steadily rising broadband connectivity. There’s no doubt we will become the voice of India and Indians across the globe.”

    Archer Entertainment provided the initial funding for the launch and marketing of http://www.IndiaTVLive.com. Archer Entertainment CEO Michael Selsman said, “We remain committed to growing and diversifying the (IndiaTVLive.com) platform.”

  • Vod users in the US tuning in to reality shows: Study

    Vod users in the US tuning in to reality shows: Study

    MUMBAI: US market research firm Scarborough Research, which works in the area of identifying the shopping, media and lifestyle patterns of Americans, has released an analysis of video-on-demand (VOD) users – those consumers who live in households that used VOD during the past month.

    The analysis found that VOD users are 27 per cent more likely than all consumers to cite reality programmes as a television genre that they typically watch.

    Across America seven per cent of consumers live in a household that used VOD during the past month. VOD users are 24 per cent more likely to tune in to music videos. 22 per cent more likely than all consumers to watch news magazine shows, science fiction (21 per cent more likely) and dramas (18 per cent more likely), round out the top television genres among VOD users as compared to the general population.

    Today’s VOD users hail from upscale, young families. According to the Scarborough analysis, VOD users are 27 per cent more likely than all consumers to be between the ages 18-24; 20 per cent more likely to have two or more children in the household; and more than twice as likely as all consumers to have an annual household income of more than $150,000. VOD users are 27 per cent more likely than all consumers to be African-American.

    VOD users are avid consumers of entertainment and information technologies. VOD users are 50 per cent more likely than all consumers to spend 20 or more hours online weekly. They have high-speed Internet connections, and are more likely than all consumers to have a cable modem, DSL or wireless Internet connection. VOD users are 38 per cent more likely than all consumers nationally to have purchased something on the Internet in the past year. 39 per cent of VOD users use online services for travel reservations and 47 per cent of VOD users use on-line services for news. VOD users are almost three times as likely as all consumers to have purchased pay-per-view (PPV) five or more times during the past year.

    When it comes to advertising categories, home improvement is a top category among VOD users. 73 per cent of VOD users live in a household that has bought hardware, building, paint, or lawn and garden items in the past year. They are 15 per cent more likely than all consumers across the US to have spent $3,000 or more on all home improvements in the past year.

  • British Telecom inks VoD deal with Momentum Pictures

    British Telecom inks VoD deal with Momentum Pictures

    MUMBAI: British Telecom has inked a new video-on-demand (VoD) film agreement with independent film distributor, Momentum Pictures, for its next-generation TV service – BT Vision, which is scheduled to launch in August to September 2006.

    Momentum Pictures is one of the UK’s largest independent film distributors. This agreement will provide access to Momentum Pictures’ catalogue including titles such as – Lost in Translation, Racing Stripes, Where the Truth Lies, O, Brother Where Art Thou?, Vera Drake, Lord of War and Broken Flowers, amongst others.

    BT Vision customers will be able to enjoy a vast range of film, music and television programming all available on-demand as well as all the Freeview channels, plus interactive and communications and all available on the TV, with no compulsory subscription.

    BT Vision CEO Dan Marks said, “We are delighted to have concluded this agreement with Momentum Pictures, which has been responsible for distributing some of the most successful and most interesting independent cinema of the past few years. Our agreement with Momentum represents our commitment to bring the best and most varied selection of movies to our customers.”

    Momentum managing director Xavier Marchand added, “We are very pleased that BT’s broadband customers will have access to many of Momentum Pictures’ titles. BT Vision and interactive access to movies are extremely exciting concepts and we eagerly anticipate the launch of the service.”

  • Broadband gets animated as Cartoon Network hires Premium TV

    Broadband gets animated as Cartoon Network hires Premium TV

    MUMBAI: Turner Broadcasting Systems has hired digital rights company Premium TV to provide a broadband TV service in the UK for its flagship kids’ channel Cartoon Network, with the service due to launch in Q4.

    The broadband site will be Cartoon Network’s first foray into broadband content tailored to the PC, and follows hot on the heels of the recent roll out of Cartoon Network’s new look website to all European territories.

    CartoonNetwork.co.uk is gaining more hits than ever before, with over 30 million page impressions per month, and the broadband site SuperCartoonNetwork.co.uk will reinforce this success in the sector.

    Subscribers to the site will be able to watch hours of regularly updated Cartoon Network shows, such as Ben 10 and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. They will also be able to watch archived episodes of the cartoons on the site.

    Under the terms of the two year deal, Premium TV will provide the broadband platform for Turner which will see Super Cartoon Network broadcast within the EMEA region.

    Premium TV has a track record of handling digital rights for major sports organisations, such as FLi (Football League Interactive) and World Rally Championship (WRC). The company’s expertise in managing digital rights, coupled with its DRM technology, will enable Turner Broadcasting Systems to take advantage of the growing digital market.

  • Interactive Television Networks expands to key Asia Pacific markets

    Interactive Television Networks expands to key Asia Pacific markets

    MUMBAI: The US-based Interactive Television Networks, Inc., a global player in Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), has announced the launch of its ITVN Asia service.

    “We are very excited to introduce ITVN’s revolutionary technology to the Asian market,” says ITVN Asia MD Noah Lieberman. “We anticipate a robust response to ITVN in these markets, as the high speed internet infrastructure in the Asia Pacific region has enjoyed widespread development, especially in countries such as Japan where IPTV customers enjoy fiber-optic cable at speeds up to 100 Mbps.”

    By the end of 2007, everyone in Japan will have access to high speed internet, according to a plan by the Japanese government.

    As part of their multi-year agreement, ITVN Asia has pre-purchased ITVN subscription services and hardware as well as committed to short and long term subscriber targets, states an official release.

    “We are pleased to be able to extend the ITVN brand into these new markets,” says ITVN CEO Charles Prast. “ITVN Asia users will initially enjoy Silver Screen, which delivers the golden age of cinema to their home television. In addition to Silver Screen, ITVN Asia plans to launch additional music, movie, sports and video game channels.”

  • American Telecom services launches Pay N’ Talk phone on cable television

    American Telecom services launches Pay N’ Talk phone on cable television

    MUMBAI: American Telecom Services, Inc., has launched a pilot of three complementary two-minute Direct Response Television (DRTV) spots to promote the Pay N’ Talk bundled service program with cordless multi-handset phones powered by IDT Telecom. The series of short-form TV spots will air on multiple occasions on several national cable networks

    The company is a provider of both internet phones and Pay N’ Talk pre-paid long distance communication services bundled with cordless multi-handset phones.

    This initiative is intended to expand brand awareness of American telecom as well as attempting to educate the consumer on the value of the Pay N’ Talk service program. This form of DRTV supports the marketing plan to drive consumer sales through retail channels, states an official release.

    The DRTV spots feature Pay N’ Talk home phones bundled with free minutes that provide consumers with an introduction to the Pay N’ Talk service bundle which provides the option to purchase more minutes at some of the lowest long distance rates in the industry, by simply pressing the “Money Saving Green Button” that appears on every telephone handset.

    The proprietary Money Saving Green Button on each phone provides “One-Touch Access” to American Telecom’s Pay N’ Talk service, for making calls, adding funds or setting up auto-payment on the prepaid system, or changing user information and is powered through the company’s exclusive relationship with IDT Telecom, adds the release.

  • Kasenna PortalTV solution enables Cavalier to deploy USA’s first MPEG-4 Broadband TV

    Kasenna PortalTV solution enables Cavalier to deploy USA’s first MPEG-4 Broadband TV

    MUMBAI: The IPTV company, Kasenna has announced that Cavalier Telephone and TV, a telecommunications services provider, has gone live with the United State’s first MPEG-4-based (H.264) Broadband TV service, powered by Kasenna’s PortalTV solution.

    Kasenna PortalTV, integrated with other MPEG-4 video elements, such as video headend, encryption system, network equipment and set top boxes, has enabled Cavalier to deploy an end-to-end MPEG-4 based broadcast-quality video network.

    This will have a Triple-Play package including advanced features such as on-screen caller ID, Broadcast TV and VOD.

    According to an official release, Kasenna PortalTV combines streaming server, middleware, management, client, and content offerings into the end-to-end, pre-integrated IPTV solution. The fully interactive electronic program guide lets Broadband TV customers smoothly move through the service suite; from setting parental controls and viewing on-screen caller ID, to watching broadcast, pay-per-view and VOD programs.

    “Cavalier offers a world-class, broadcast-quality, interactive television service that gives consumers much greater degree of interactivity and much higher video quality, “said Kasenna CEO Kumar Shah. “We are delighted that Cavalier has chosen PortalTV, the industry’s first MPEG-4 based IPTV infrastructure, to deliver their customized, advanced Broadband TV services.”

    Cavalier CEO Brad Evans said, “Our mission is to deliver a superior and interactive television experience with the industry’s most advanced voice, video and data services. We are very proud to be the first service provider in the US that has rolled out MPEG-4 based Interactive Broadband TV. Kasenna and its fully-integrated PortalTV solution are key to our success – having enabled us to quickly deliver advanced, custom-branded, interactive IPTV services to multiple cities on our regional network. Furthermore, Kasenna’s open, standards-based middleware platform allows us to stay on the cutting edge with future service offerings to our customers.”

    On completion of the rollout, Broadband TV will be available to two million homes passed with its Triple Play service. In addition, Cavalier is also planning its next-generation services including TV mail, interactive programming and gaming to make Broadband TV even more entertaining and convenient, adds the release.

  • Anil Ambani’s Flag Telecom ties up with OmanTel for telecom, internet link

    Anil Ambani’s Flag Telecom ties up with OmanTel for telecom, internet link

    MUMBAI: Flag Telecom, a Reliance Infocomm company, is stepping up its global operations. The network support and communication services company has signed up with Oman Telecommunications Company (OmanTel) for providing an internet transit point between West Asia and Africa.

    Flag Telecom would also lay a marine cable for the Oman-based company. Flag Telecom executive president Punit Garg and Omantel executive president Mohammed Bin Ali Al Wahaibi signed the agreement.

    Internet services along with lease circuit services and the Multi-Party Labelling System (MPLS), known to be the fastest electronic link, would begin from September to 12 countries, including the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.

    “One of the agreements is to make Oman a link between Africa and the Middle East in the Flag’s loop cable project, relating to the extension of communication links to Egypt and Hong Kong via marine cables with multiple landings in the Gulf region,” says an official release.

    Omantel will seek to extend the African cable through a network of marine cables to converge at Seeb and Khasab in Oman.

    The second agreement, to start in September, will be to make the country an internet transit point, catering to 12 countries including members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. It will also provide lease circuit services as well as multi-party labelling system, the fastest in electronic telecommunication technology.

    “The signing of the MoUs was part of Omantel’s keenness to boost its investments and to make the country a global communication hub,” says Al Wahaibi .

    Flag Telecom has gained from a strong demand for its bandwidth by broadband service providers across the globe. In 2005, it signed major contracts for additional capacity with international carriers and a global internet content provider.