Tesco has announced plans to move into the video-on-demand market with the acquisition of Blinkbox, a video-on-demand start-up. They now have an 80 per cent share in the company which they bought from private equity firms Eden Ventures and Nordic Venture Partners. Blinkbox movie-streaming service has been in operation since 2008. So far the firm has grown its movie catalogue to over 9,000 Hollywood titles plus a host of television series.
Entone has announced the immediate availability of its webVOD solution for IPTV service operators. The new solution allows operators to offer the best of broadcast television and OTT (Over The Top) media service simply by downloading the application to the subscribers’ set-top boxes. The subscriber then has access to popular Video-on-Demand suppliers without the need of buying a separate appliance.
Visitors to this year’s IFA Show and especially the Vodafone booth will get a glimpse into the future of Vodafone music and video, featuring Connected Home products and services that network all kinds of home entertainment components such as video, music and photos. Through the use of Vodafone’s new Innovative Media Center and Tablet Media Center terminals, home users will be able to enjoy the latest in On Demand entertainment.
Light Reading has projected an increase in Home Gateway over the next 24 months. The report cited the increase convergence of home appliance and the need for a digital lifestyle. The increase demand for home gateway is also down to its modern architecture and versatility over the standard home modem. With more and more new digital home solution and the popularity of VoIP technology is also fuelling the demand for home gateways. The author sees this increase as an opportunity for service providers (SP).