Alticast teams with Vidéotron for Canada's first 4K UHD STB

Alticast Teams With Vidéotron For First Canadian Launch Of 4K UHD STB

DENVER — Alticast today announced that its ongoing innovation partnership with Videotron is helping to achieve a milestone for the Canadian pay-TV industry – the first availability of 4K ultra high definition set-top box on a commercial basis throughout a cable system operator’s entire service footprint.

Videotron’s release of the illico 4K Ultra HD PVR has positioned the Quebec operator as a market leader in driving the key ingredients to ultra high definition success: UHD device penetration, the availability of UHD content with the superior color and consumer awareness of the value of the new technology.

Leveraging Alticast’s expertise in middleware and UI enablement, the illico 4K Ultra HD PVR allows delivery of high-value 4K content, while retaining features that are products of the close working relationship between Videotron and Alticast. These include multi-room PVR capabilities, interactive applications and seamless integration with Videotron’s state of the art back-office systems.

“The ability to combine the richness of 4K content with managed network Quality of Service will be a significant differentiator for pay-TV,” said John Carlucci, president and CTO, Alticast US. “By being the first operator in Canada to bring 4K STBs into subscribers’ homes, Videotron is continuing the leadership that sets it apart from competitors and enhances the value of service bundles.”

“The tremendous promise that 4K UHD holds for our customers can only be realized by true commitment on the part of the entire industry,” said Pierre Roy, Vice-President Engineering, Research and Development. “Alticast and our other technology partners have helped us to create the technical foundation that had already generated market enthusiasm and satisfy customer demand for UHD services.”