Ericsson to manage HBO Nordic's playout services
- Ericsson expands its Broadcast Services business to bring HBO's TV services to the Nordic countries
- Five-year contract to manage playout and media management services
- Agreement contributes to Ericsson's ambition to become the leading broadcast service provider globally
Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) has signed a five-year contract with Urho Digital Services Oy (UDS) to manage the playout and media management services for HBO Nordic's TV content. HBO Nordic, the recently announced joint venture between Time Warner HBO and Persifal International, will bring an HBO TV channel to Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.
Peter Ekelund, Chairman of UDS and the partner with HBO Inc for HBO Nordic, says: "This strategic partnership allows HBO Nordic to bring new, innovative television services to the Nordic countries. We look forward to working with Ericsson, the number one independent playout service provider in the Nordic region. We aim to deliver high-quality TV content with Ericsson as a strong partner."
Valter D'Avino, Head of Managed Services at Ericsson, says: "This partnership is proof of Ericsson's ability to facilitate the convergence of telecom, the internet and media. Teaming up with a trusted partner enables broadcasters to overcome the complex challenges and fierce competition that exist in the rapidly changing TV market. Broadcasters have to adapt to the fundamental changes that have resulted from the launch of on-demand and multi-platform television services, and can benefit from our broadcast services capability and competence."
Top-quality content is still king in the convergence of TV and web, but the technical distribution plays a very important role. In addition, Ericsson can manage any media content for any type of distribution channel, regardless of whether it is linear broadcast or streaming video on-demand to a browser.
Ericsson has the industry's most comprehensive managed services offering. It ranges from designing, building, operating and managing day-to-day operations of a customer's network, including end-user services and business-support systems, to hosting service-layer solutions and providing network coverage and capacity on demand, as well as broadcast services. As the undisputed leader in managed services, Ericsson has officially announced more than 100 contracts for managed services with telecom operators worldwide since 2002. In all current managed services contracts, Ericsson is managing networks that together serve more than 900 million subscribers worldwide.
Since 2007, Ericsson has managed playout services in the Nordic region for Canal+, now C more Entertainment AB, which was acquired by TV4 group in 2008. In 2009, Ericsson announced that it operates the playout services of the TV4 Group in Sweden. In 2012, Ericsson acquired Technicolor's Broadcast Services division, a worldwide technology leader in the media and entertainment sector. The acquisition brought approximately 900 highly skilled professionals and playout operations located in France, UK and the Netherlands serving several leading broadcasters.
NOTES TO EDITORS
In April this year, Ericsson acquired Technicolor's broadcast division and has integrated Technicolor's broadcast services portfolio into its solutions:www.ericsson.com/thecompany/press/releases/2012/07/1623638
About UDS
UDS provides solutions to bring personal TV and PayTV to multi screen devices. UDS white label service is based on the Urho Play platform that already has over 150,000 active users in Finland. UDS is the exclusive OTT (Over-The-Top) service provider for HBO Nordic.
About HBO Nordic
HBO Nordic will offer day and date first showing of all of HBO and other premium TV Series producers acclaimed programs. In addition the service will include a substantial SVOD library and the latest DVD movie releases. HBO Nordic will be available on every device and through leading Nordic operators as well as through the UDS provided platform. HBO Nordic is a joint venture between HBO Inc. and Parsifal International.
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Ericsson is the world's leading provider of communications technology and services. We are enabling the Networked Society with efficient real-time solutions that allow us all to study, work and live our lives more freely, in sustainable societies around the world.
Our offering comprises services, software and infrastructure within Information and Communications Technology for telecom operators and other industries. Today more than 40 percent of the world's mobile traffic goes through Ericsson networks and we support customers' networks servicing more than 2.5 billion subscribers.
We operate in 180 countries and employ more than 100,000 people. Founded in 1876, Ericsson is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2011 the company's net sales were SEK 226.9 billion (USD 35.0 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm and NASDAQ, New York stock exchanges.
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