'Ubiquity Multiscreen TV' combines Internet with TV on any device

Thursday, September 9th, 2010

Nokia Siemens Networks launches software client based on Nokia Qt development framework

ESPOO, Finland — Nokia Siemens Networks is launching a new software client for ‘any device with a screen’ that allows people to watch TV via any network. The Multiscreen TV client integrates “Over the Top” (Internet) TV and broadcast TV with the web and social network access. It provides a user interface for services delivered via Nokia Siemens Networks Ubiquity Multiscreen TV Platform*, irrespective of location or device. The client is built on Nokia’s open source Qt cross platform application and user interface framework.

“The elegance of this approach is its simplicity. Video content from separate sources can be brought together and offered alongside web apps and other online services and delivered to any device, at any location, using a common, adaptable client interface,” said Brook Longdon, head of Media and Entertainment Solutions, Nokia Siemens Networks. “Our Ubiquity Multiscreen TV Platform marries traditional broadcast TV with web content to provide an easy-to-use service people will love.”

Yoav Schreiber, senior analyst, Digital Media Infrastructure, Current Analysis commented: “As service providers look to differentiate their multi-screen capabilities, it will become increasingly important for end-to-end solutions to encompass both a common back-end platform to seamlessly share intelligence across resources, as well as a common front-end to enable seamless multi-screen experiences. With its Ubiquity Multiscreen TV solution, Nokia Siemens Networks is demonstrating that it is among the few vendors that can leverage the resources to deliver both parts of a complete multi-screen architecture.”

The Ubiquity Multiscreen TV Platform and the new client ensure content is protected across various devices with built in Digital Rights Management. In addition, and depending on permissions, the new client can allow users to share video content via its integration with web apps and social networks. These features are over and above existing digital TV features such as network-based recording, pausing live TV and instant rewind.

The client supports various operating systems (OS) to avoid being locked into a specific device type, including mobile OS such as Android, Symbian and others. The client provides fast booting and channel-changing and supports user interface animation thanks to 3D graphics acceleration.

Qt’s open source framework has broad industry support and a large application developer community ecosystem. Operators can use the ecosystem to integrate or open app stores to deliver new services.

“The maturity, flexibility and large developer community for Qt provide Nokia Siemens Networks and its customers with a leading open source tool, and a community of users that will enable the development and deployment of high performance user interfaces and applications on any device,” said Sebastian Nystrom, vice president, Application & Service Frameworks, Nokia.

Several tier 1 operators have already selected Nokia Siemens Networks’ Ubiquity Multiscreen TV Platform to enhance their media offering.

The new Multiscreen TV client is being launched at the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam to be held from 9-14 September, 2010.

* In March this year, Nokia Siemens Networks launched a new software platform that provides people the freedom to watch TV via multiple networks. The platform lets operators provide live, recorded or video-on-demand TV to mobile phone, Internet-connected computer, digital satellite or terrestrial television screens – all managed by one single back-office system. The new Ubiquity Multiscreen TV Platform client extends Nokia Siemens Networks’ Ubiquity Multiscreen TV Platform to enable a consistent user experience across all devices and a seamless combination of TV and Internet.