Canal Digital, the Nordic satellite television provider, is to launch a next-generation television platform as a hosted managed service from NDS, now a Cisco company. Canal Digital, owned by Telenor Broadcast, offers over 130 channels to around a million satellite television subscribers across Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. The new platform, delivering services over a combination of satellite and broadband, will enable Canal Digital subscribers to access content anywhere, anytime, and on multiple devices, both in and out of the home.
By enabling features for enriching the television experience — from contextual apps for the main screen and devices, to viewer profiles — subscribers will be offered an immersive, personalised television experience through a unified user interface based on the NDS Snowflake framework.
NDS Snowflake enables unified, intuitive navigation of content and services that centres on linear programming with the ability to scroll back into the past or forward into the future, providing fluid discovery of both catch-up and on-demand content, all through a consistent branded experience with integrated programme recommendations and applications.
A hosted NDS Unified Headend will power the service. The subscriber home will be connected through a multimedia gateway that distributes content and metadata-based services around the home over internet protocol to complement programming delivered by satellite.
The gateway and multi-tuner hybrid zapper boxes will be powered by NDS MediaHighway middleware, using Jungo Panorama remote management technology.
The outsourced model of operation will enable Canal Digital to focus on the end-user experience, leaving NDS to manage the hosted headend infrastructure.
NDS, the leading provider of set-top box technologies and security systems, is now part of Cisco, the networking company.
“Our new platform will provide what can only be described as a new generation of TV entertainment for our subscribers,” said Patrik Hofbauer, the chief executive of Canal Digital. “With NDS, we are investing in our future to provide the ultimate user experience and the best possible infrastructure to support the growth of our business.”
Jesper Andersen, who heads the service provider video technology group in Cisco, added: “The approach taken by Canal Digital shows market innovation and progression to hosted and cloud-based technologies that will enable future-proofed platforms, optimised resources and scalability.”
This announcement illustrates a growing trend to complement traditional satellite and cable television services with seamlessly integrated programming delivered on demand over broadband, through a gateway that can provide access throughout the home.