Partner Article

Metrological selected by UPC Hungary to bring TV Apps to its customers

23rd July 2014, Rotterdam, Netherlands – In an industry first, Metrological, provider of a cloud based software application platform, today announced that it has deployed a cloud based TV app store on UPC Hungary’s HD mediaboxes by partnering with ActiveVideo. As a result of this partnership UPC Hungary launched a TV App store, without replacing its existing mediaboxes. This means that the cable operator has been able to stay one step ahead of the competition by rolling out its app store in a short time frame and avoiding the costly and time-consuming process of replacing all of its mediaboxes.

Metrological’s cloud based approach is enabling UPC Hungary to virtualize mediabox functionality, using ActiveVideo’s CloudTV™ StreamCast platform. In order for UPC TV Apps to be accessed, the Metrological platform uses the thin client application running on the UPC mediaboxes. Customers have access to a host of new apps, such as YouTube, CNN News, Picasa and Facebook on their TVs, while online content providers and app developers can expand their market footprints to include UPC Hungary television viewers.

The framework ensures there’s no need to develop and maintain different versions of the same app. The Metrological framework also gives UPC Hungary the flexibility to deliver new content quickly as the management and deployment of apps is taken care of centrally, by Metrological.

Albert Dahan, CTO Metrological comments: “The achievement with this deployment is that cloud technology has brought the advantages of the browser-based app store to existing set-top boxes. It’s a case in point of the opportunities that are opening up to operators who are faced with a similar challenge; how to bring online video services to subscribers, quickly and cost-effectively.”

He continues: “It means that operators can reap the benefits - the revenue opportunities and competitive advantage that app stores open up - whilst protecting existing investments.”

Árpád Jordán, CTO UPC Central and Eastern Europe added: “The app store now enables us to increase customer satisfaction by offering them high quality innovative products, beyond our Live TV and Video on Demand services. UPC TV Apps offer the customer a wide variety of popular and user friendly apps on their TV screen. Through the Metrological Application Framework, UPC can deliver apps and features to different mediabox platforms, which helps us with our goal to offer our customers our services whenever and wherever they want.”

About Metrological

Headquartered in the Netherlands, Metrological delivers a product suite that consists of a software application framework, TV app store, dashboard and cloud-based UX. Metrological has over 150 TV apps ready for publication and enables operators to develop their own apps via an open SDK.

Metrological services cover life cycle management, quality assurance, app and content curation.

The Metrological platform and products are device and browser agnostic and enables operators to increase ARPU, reduce churn and enhance the viewer experience. The platform is already deployed by operators such as Liberty Global.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by PJO .