MADRID and REDMOND, Wash., Nov.
14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Telefonica Digital and
Microsoft Corp. today announced a multiyear strategic agreement to
create a new Global Video Platform (GVP) for all video
entertainment services across Telefonica's Operating Businesses.
Based on key Microsoft technologies including the Microsoft
Mediaroom platform, the GVP is unique in delivering TV services
over both managed (IPTV) and nonmanaged ("over the top") networks,
at global scale, to a range of consumer devices. The first GVP
deployments are taking place in Brazil, Chile
and Spain, and Telefonica
anticipates extending the deployment of TV services based on the
GVP to a number of its other Operating Businesses over the next few
years.
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"Video is a fast-growing market, and we already play a leading
role in delivering Pay TV services to customers in Europe and Latin
America. This new platform allows us to reflect the deep and
rapid changes happening in this market. It offers the ease and
convenience of a global, convergent platform while maintaining
flexibility over content for our local businesses. Most important,
it allows us to meet customer demands for access to video content
on an ever- expanding range of devices," said Vivek Dev, director
of Digital Services, Telefonica Digital.
The GVP, and its use of Mediaroom, will enable Telefonica to
deliver to consumers high-performance, differentiated and
feature-rich TV services over both its managed high-speed broadband
networks as well as "over-the-top" nonmanaged broadband networks.
It provides a range of advanced features to TV subscribers,
including time-shifting and multiscreen among others, enabling
Telefonica to take advantage of its multidevice capabilities.
"Telefonica is a close partner to Microsoft, and the Global
Video Platform, based on the Microsoft Mediaroom platform, will
enable them to grow their business and reach new audiences," said
Tom Gibbons, corporate vice
president, Operator TV Business, Microsoft. "This new agreement
focused on Telefonica's GVP further extends our alliance in the
world of TV and video entertainment to a range of screens
throughout the home and on the go, and the benefits will be enjoyed
by many millions of people globally. Through its use of IP-based
broadband networks and the Microsoft Mediaroom platform,
Telefonica's next-generation TV services are poised to delight and
entertain millions of consumers across their markets in
Europe and Latin America."
These services can be enjoyed by consumers on a range of devices
inside and outside the home, including set-top boxes, Xbox 360,
tablets and smartphones. Because the Mediaroom platform includes
key technologies such as Microsoft PlayReady, Internet Information
Services Smooth Streaming and Microsoft Silverlight, the delivery
of TV services across these various networks and to multiple screen
types can all be done via one common technology infrastructure.
This is expected to result in significant efficiencies for
Telefonica in time to market, cost of delivery and overall
scale.
Earlier this month, Telefonica launched its premium Internet
Protocol television (IPTV) service in Brazil, which follows a similar launch in
Chile in October. Both services,
Vivo TV Fibra in Brazil and
Movistar IPTV in Chile, are the
first IPTV deployments that take advantage of the new GVP platform
and its capabilities, offering an exceptional user experience for
their Fiber to the Home customers. In November 2011, Telefonica and Microsoft launched
the first service enabled by the GVP: Movistar Imagenio on Xbox
360. It provides subscribers with 12 linear channels focused on
sports, including the Spanish First Soccer League (Liga BBVA) under
Canal+ Liga Channel.
During the past 14 months, the Microsoft Mediaroom platform has
continued to scale its deployments and services, surpassing 11
million consumer households and 22 million set-top boxes across the
Americas, EMEA and APAC, further securing its position as the
world's most deployed IPTV platform.*
About Telefonica
Telefonica one of the largest telecommunications companies in
the world in terms of market capitalisation and number of
customers. From this outstanding position in the industry, and with
its mobile, fixed and broadband businesses as the key drivers of
its growth, Telefonica has focused its strategy on becoming a
leading company in the digital world.
The company has a significant presence in 25 countries and a
customer base that amounts close to 314 million accesses around the
world. Telefonica has a strong presence in Spain, Europe
and Latin America, where the
company focuses an important part of its growth strategy.
Telefonica is a 100% listed company, with more than 1.5 million
direct shareholders. Its share capital currently comprises
4.551.024.586 ordinary shares traded on the Spanish Stock Market
(Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia) and on those in London, New
York, Lima, and
Buenos Aires.
About Telefonica Digital
Telefonica Digital is a global business division of Telefonica.
Its mission is to seize the opportunities within the digital world
and deliver new growth for Telefonica through research &
development, venture capital, global partnerships and digital
services such as cloud computing, mobile advertising, M2M and
eHealth. It is also driving innovation in over the top
communications under a new umbrella brand called TU and in Big Data
through Telefonica Dynamic Insights.
Telefonica Digital will deliver these new products and services
to Telefonica's 314 million customers as well as entering new
markets. It is headquartered in London with regional centres in Silicon
Valley, Sao Paulo, Spain and Tel
Aviv. Jajah, TokBox, Terra, Media Networks Latin America, 48
and giffgaff are all managed under the Telefonica Digital
umbrella.
To sign up for news alerts and read commentary on Telefonica
Digital, visit www.telefonica.com/digitalhub and track them on
Twitter @tefdigital.
About Microsoft Mediaroom
The award-winning Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol
Television (IPTV) and multimedia software platform is the most
widely deployed IPTV platform in the world. Mediaroom is driving
the future of television by enabling broadband service providers to
deliver new connected TV and entertainment experiences to consumers
worldwide. It provides new ways for consumers to experience TV as
part of their connected, digital lifestyle, while also creating new
business opportunities for broadband service providers, hardware
manufacturers, content creators, advertisers and application
developers. Over 40 of the world's leading service providers across
four continents have selected the Mediaroom platform to drive their
digital TV services. More information on Mediaroom and the
opportunity to deliver the best in TV plus all your media in one
place is available at http://www.microsoft.com/mediaroom.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide
leader in software, services and solutions that help people and
businesses realize their full potential.
* This is an increase from previously reported 8 million
consumer households and 16 million set-top boxes.
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.