Amino upgrades legacy STBs at GTD in Chile

Monday, July 3rd, 2017
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Amino ENABLE powers modernization of GTD TV offering – Virtual set-top box software preserves legacy investment

  • Amino ENABLE platform allows Chilean telco GTD to save on costly hardware swap-out by ‘upcycling’ legacy set-top boxes
  • Ensures unified UX for whole customer base by creating a common, integrated platform across all devices
  • GTD is newest TV operator to deploy ENABLE to keep pace with consumer demands for a more modern viewing experience

CAMBRIDGE, UK — Amino, the IP/Cloud video software and device specialist, has today announced that GTD, one of Chile’s leading telecommunications companies, is the latest major TV operator to deploy Amino ENABLE, its virtual set-top box (STB) software platform. The result is GTD is able to upgrade its STBs and provide a unified user interface across its customer base, while extending the lifespan of its legacy devices – leading to huge cost savings.

“One of the biggest issues we are seeing with a number of our customers is the challenge of delivering the modern TV experience consumers demand in a cost-effective way,” says Donald McGarva, Amino’s Chief Executive. “The trouble is operators face the obstacle of modernizing legacy STBs that are not compatible with new systems, and yet most are not in a position to be burdened by the heavy investment required for a costly hardware swap-out.”

McGarva adds: “Amino ENABLE has empowered GTD to overcome this impediment, transforming its legacy base and future-proofing its entire service. We are now using ENABLE to do this for operators around the globe.”

GTD, having moved to an all IP network, needed to adapt both its middleware and STB hardware platforms to take advantage of access to new network capabilities. With an extensive customer base still using legacy STBs, it was vital for GTD to not only extend the life of its existing hardware deployments, but also enhance its infrastructure by implementing a more stable middleware platform.

Amino worked closely with GTD achieve this through ENABLE, ‘upcycling’ the telco’s legacy STBs while providing the means to bring in new Amino devices. Adopting ENABLE has allowed GTD to provide a consistent user experience across its entire subscriber base, while reducing capital expenditure and realizing major operational cost savings.

Cristian Tobar, TV Technical Director at Grupo GTD, notes: “We know it is vital for GTD to keep up with customer demands for a modern user experience, but we need to do this in an efficient way that makes good financial sense. Amino ENABLE has allowed us to do that, improving operational capabilities, reducing ongoing costs and helping us get the most from our existing capital investments.”

Amino ENABLE empowers TV operators to migrate to an all IP/Cloud future. By upcycling existing set-top boxes and eliminating installation costs, the software platform has the potential to save TV operators across the world billions of dollars in capital expenditure.

ENABLE, tried and tested for over a decade as the software core for Amino VIEW – the world’s most deployed IP STB – is now being deployed on third-party set-top box hardware platforms. Enable helps operators future-proof their offerings and deliver innovative, higher value services such as over-the-top (OTT), subscription video on demand (SVOD), multiscreen UX, UHD video and Android capabilities, along with updated and unified user interfaces.

Chilean telecoms operator GTD Manquehue, a subsidiary of the Grupo GTD, has a state-of-the-art fiber-optic network, over which it offers fixed-line and pay TV in and around the capital, Santiago. The company, which has earned a reputation for high quality service delivery across its 20,000km fibre network, also controls Telsur, covering Chile’s south with IPTV, voice and internet services.