Both the corporate world and public bodies are becoming aware that the key to creating a truly ‘smart’ city is by engaging with the user, ensuring that the citizen is engaged and integrated within the city – using it in a way that is personalised to them.
Google and BT Sport bet on Ericsson to deliver next-generation entertainment
Ericsson has brokered a deal with Google and BT sport who are betting on the company to deliver the next-generation of entertainment with its latest technologies.
As part of the deal, Ericsson will be extending the reach of its MediaFirst TV Platform into the Android TV ecosystem. MediaFirst is a cloud-based platform which enables the creation, preparation, management and delivery of pay-TV services to any screen.
The integration of Ericsson MediaFirst TV Platform with Android TV will provide an additional pathway to extend MediaFirst cloud-based TV services, including 4K-UHD live TV channels, video-on-demand, catch-up TV and cloud DVR to an even wider subscriber base.
“By expanding our range of set-top box options, we are giving Ericsson MediaFirst TV customers the opportunity to deliver cutting-edge, large-scale video services and respond to the surge in adoption of smart devices, broadband connectivity and cloud-based delivery,” said Shiva Patibanda, Head of Business Line TV Platforms, Ericsson. “Our partnership with Google will empower operators of all sizes and resources to take control and leverage multiple monetisation and partnership opportunities offered by Android TV, enabling them to deliver experiences to their audiences that fully integrate their Pay TV services with Android TV applications and OTT services.”
With a recent ConsumerLab research from Ericsson indicating that 56 percent of consumers prefer to receive TV, internet and mobile services from the same provider, if it saves money, and 22 percent will do so even if it costs as much as the sum of the individual services, the integration of MediaFirst with Android TV will help to deliver a one-stop-shop for OTT content.
Ericsson’s deal with BT Sport helps the entertainment giant bring even more cutting-edge sports coverage through integration with Ericsson’s Piero Augmented Reality service – the first company to sign up for it.
Piero will enable broadcasters to overlay 3D graphics in real-time during live studio productions and sports games. BT Sport COO Jamie Hindhaugh said: “We’re always looking to enhance and improve the quality of our coverage and presentation and are excited to be working with Ericsson and to be the first to use Piero Augmented Reality, we think this brand new technology will enhance our coverage and analysis and ultimately the viewer experience.”
2016 Future-Sat Africa Summit
4 – 6 October 2016 Addis Ababa – Ethiopia
Future-Sat Africa will enable governments, user groups and industries to address spectrum, regulatory, commercial and other public-policy priorities in order to enable more effective delivery of next-generation satellite innovations in Africa. Governments and private-sector enterprises in Africa have recognised the benefits of ICT as a key enabler of services, engagement and socio-economic development. It is also well documented that while great strides have been made in fibre, wireless and mobile deployments, satellite remains an essential component of the end to end solution.