ABI Research study on the role of DLNA's VidiPath

Thursday, May 14th, 2015
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ABI Research Study Now Available on the Role of DLNA’s VidiPath for Transforming Subscription Content Delivery in Today’s Multiscreen Environment

  • DLNA’s VidiPath Certified devices expected to achieve more than 70 percent penetration of U.S. cable TV households subscribing to advanced services by 2020
  • Guidelines also expected to play key role in supporting new service delivery models, cutting deployment costs while meeting evolving consumer expectations
  • ABI sees additional VidiPath opportunities to further unify media service delivery to personal and leased devices across multiple service provider networks

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA®) today released results from an ABI Research study on the anticipated impact of VidiPath Certified devices for subscription TV service delivery to interoperable devices. ABI is projecting that VidiPath Certified devices will be available in approximately 40 percent of all U.S. cable households that subscribe to advanced services by 2016, and 70 percent by 2020. If additional capabilities are added in the coming years as VidiPath continues to evolve, ABI anticipates its adoption among the advanced cable service footprint could grow to 100 percent by 2017.

“VidiPath is a flexible, standards-based technology and Certification program that, together, are unifying media service and user experience delivery to customer owned and leased devices through cable, satellite, and broadband IP networks,” said Sam Rosen, practice director for ABI Research. “The VidiPath program is expected to yield significant service delivery savings while improving the user experience, as it establishes a unified technology platform for mobile and multiscreen services, allows for the elimination of STBs, simplifies remote diagnostics, and fosters new choices of DLNA-Certified retail devices. Down the road, VidiPath has the potential to enable new cloud-based deployment models from both traditional operators as well as Over-the-Top providers, helping to pave the way for TV Everywhere delivery.”

According to the ABI report, VidiPath delivers benefits to operators including providing a unified technology platform for content discovery and protection that reduces STB capital expenses while enabling them to enhance and retain control of the user experience. It also facilitates various value-added deployment scenarios while simplifying licensing requirements and regulatory compliance. The Guidelines benefit consumer electronics manufacturers by enabling a single software stack to support all participating operators, while ensuring connectivity of customer-purchased CE devices. VidiPath may also help drive opportunities for joint marketing promotion and recurring revenue streams between service providers and CE manufacturers. Consumers also benefit from VidiPath, through the ability to access Pay TV services on a wide variety of screens, including Smart TVs and tablets, so they can experience HD quality video throughout the home.

“DLNA continues to address the evolving requirements of today’s digital lifestyle,” said Scott Lofgren, president of DLNA. “The ABI Research study validates our progress with VidiPath to date and the program’s potential for significant growth and market impact, and identifies a number of important new opportunities for the organization to continue its work.”