TelcoTV: TVN Launches Turnkey VoD Offering

Although promised turnkey IPTV offerings for telcos have attracted big attention for two years now at TelcoTV, this year’s event saw the introduction of a VoD package from TVN Entertainment based on the same focus – helping providers accelerate system deployments.

After years of working with telcos, cablecos and satellite providers and their hardware, software and content partners on VoD deployments, TVN announced VoD Complete for Telcos, a package targeted at Tier 2 and 3 carriers, looking to evolve their TV services beyond linear TV, and minus the integration hassles.

The big hurdles in TV related deployments for smaller carrier are expense, securing a critical mass of programming quickly and integrating the many related devices and software that make up any portion of the ecosystem required.

“We offer financing options, work with 150 content partners and provide a content distribution, VoD server, middleware and set-top box system in which all the pieces work together,” explained Doug Sylvester, COO for TVN. “We also offer consulting services at the outset to determine the needs of specific telcos.”

Turnkey package providers of all types have found that building labs and integrating all the pieces of video and VoD ecosystems present opportunity, mainly by shielding services providers from the extensive and ongoing integration efforts as products, albeit usually in different timeframes and delivery cycles, evolve.

“Anything that can be done in packages from established industry players that telcos don’t have to address themselves speeds their evaluation, helps with revenue models and can accelerate deployment,” said Teresa Mastrangelo, principal analyst at BroadbandTrends.com.

TVN acted on the packaging opportunity now, because it has seen the evolution of the VoD industry and believes non-Tier 1 providers share their view, whether its new IPTV entrants or incumbents.

“VoD has moved from a replacement for pay-per-view to a very viable standalone offering,” said Sylvester. “However, in terms of access to VoD, it’s still early on in that perspective and we have a ways to go in the percent of homes with broadband that are served by multichannel providers.”

Also part of the TVN VoD Complete for Telcos is marketing support, local content solutions for local community programming and advertising, an integrated reporting and royalty processing service and 24/7 support from a dedicated, VoD network operations center.

TVN Entertainment Corp www.tvn.com

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