Sezmi Begins Trials of Innovative TV Service

Sezmi Corp., which has detailed plans to offer a TV service using unused broadcast airwaves as part of its distribution network under the name of Building B, has announced trials of the on-demand optimized offering with a launch later this year.

The renamed company’s service requires a special wireless in-home device and remote to access a mix of linear, on-demand and Internet video, which can be delivered over the final stretch by broadband service providers that co-offer the innovative package.

The company and the planned video service hope to take advantage of growing interest in on-demand video viewing and potential disruption when analog TV signals counted on by millions for programming are shut off for good next February.

However, this opportunity also exists for a lengthening list of operators including pureplay telco TV providers, cable operators, satellite-based providers or those seeking to resell managed turnkey packages such as SES-Americom’s IP-Prime.

Sezmi, which has aggressively promoted its plan at trade shows and association meetings dating back to last year as Building B, hopes broadband service providers lacking video services or triple-play bundles show interest in the network capex avoidance opportunity.

It’s unclear why Building B, whose plan had gathered substantial industry interest, changed its name to Sezmi. Building B has been ever increasingly public as Building B, having cut important infrastructure deals from Harris Corp. and Sun Microsystems, leading up to and at the recent National Association of Broadcasters show.

Sezmi said its remote control has unique buttons for each member of the household, which, when pressed, provide the viewer with a personalized homepage-like screen that organizes content matched to the user’s routines and preferences.

The company’s founders believe this will open up marketing and sales opportunities to potential advertisers more interested in reaching a focused and targeted audience instead of a mass one.

The other piece of the in-home package is a wireless receiver antenna that Sezmi said can be self installed. Sezmi said it has entered agreements with broadcasters in its initial launch markets, but didn’t identify them.

It’s anticipated that telcos lacking a traditional video service element of a triple-play bundle, such as Windstream Communications, decide to offer the TV service.

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