Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Siemens push video to every screen
Delivery of a unified content to help operators create seamless a user experience and drive quad-play uptake
Published: 23 March, 2010
READ MORE: Alcatel-Lucent | Nokia Siemens Networks | Mobile Content
Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Siemens may be clinging on to market share in the traditional RAN market, but they are pulling out all the stops in areas where they can see growth. Core network capabilities were center stage in recent weeks, but for the CTIA Wireless event in Las Vegas this week, both are addressing the 'multiple screen' challenge.
Along with ALU and NSN, many carriers see the delivery of a unified content experience as one way to retain their position in a mobile market where their traditional role is under siege. And the two hardware majors, as well as Ericsson, are hoping to help carriers create their multiscreen experience - not just the classic three screens (PC, TV and phone), but additional devices such as in-car systems, tablets/e-readers and even home appliances.
With CTIA coinciding with London's IPTV World Forum, ALU announced its Multiscreen Video Solution, while NSN was focusing more specifically on television that could be viewed on any device. The former gives service providers a range of tools and services that allow video content to be scaled and optimized for different screens and connections, but in a way that appears seamless to end users. This should add value to the end user experience, compared to what open web players deliver, says the firm, and for the carriers, it reduces complexity, and the time and cost of managing multimedia.
Most industry players see video as the major driver of user uptake, especially on mobile networks. Currently, this is a double-edged sword for cellcos, whose 3G systems often creak under the strain - but a content delivery network (CDN) they control, and that is tuned to the wireless network, can help with efficiency. And as they invest in WiMAX or LTE, they believe video services will be the major element in justifying the build-out, luring users with new services.
ALU has unveiled two products to support these strategies. The Multiscreen Video Solution integrates content delivery over different networks, allowing video to be pushed to phones, PCs and any other devices with wireless connectivity. And the Velocix Digital Media Delivery Platform, the product of its acquisition of CDN player Velocix last year, consists of a series of appliances that carriers can deploy to support multimedia in a differentiated way, tailoring services to individual subscriber groups, rather than relying on more generic shared CDNs.
The vendor has also extended its range of professional services in this area, and announced the Multiscreen Foundation, a cooperative geared to creating an open foundation for service provider offerings.
Meanwhile, NSN has unveiled a software platform promising television on demand, on any screen. It is not just a delivery framework but a full applications platform, allowing operators to create new apps, and potentially to open up to third party developers and content owners.
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