Nokia debuts Virtualized User Experience Platform at IBC

Nokia delivers highly customizable, cloud-based platform for creating “any screen” TV experiences

AMSTERDAM — IBC2017 — Nokia has expanded its Velocix portfolio with the debut of its Virtualized User Experience Platform (UXP). This innovative cloud platform untethers viewers from their set-top boxes (STB) and extends the viewing experience to all their devices. It allows network operators, programmers and rights holders to quickly develop and deliver a highly personalized customer viewing experience and compete in the rapidly growing IP and OTT television market.

The Velocix Virtualized UXP is a mainstay of Nokia’s video strategy for the next decade, and an element supporting Nokia’s vision for the future of television, called Any Vision . The platform allows operators to respond to cresting trends in video consumption. Some TV viewers are already untethering from the traditional set top box (STB) and many more will follow in the next few years. They will demand a fully personalized experience that is tailored to the viewing device, moment in time, understanding of intent and persona – wherever and whenever they choose to view it.

The Velocix Virtualized UXP is provided either as a software as a service (SaaS) offering or privately hosted platform. It allows for the creation of immersive, dynamic and bespoke consumer entertainment experiences on any viewing device. Departing from the legacy STB resident-application approach, it is based on standard internet technologies, such as HTML5 and CSS templates. It allows operators to create the user experience within the cloud, and deliver the content their customers care about – live, on-demand or time shifted – and render that content on any screen. Navigation is dynamically generated, adaptive and predictive. The UXP has an inherent understanding of viewer intent, augmented (with their consent) by their social media circles and interactions.

The UXP also provides powerful self-curation capabilities, which enables viewers to build their own programs of “like” content to obtain more complete coverage of popular news items or generate personal “highlight reels” to display the most significant moments in, for instance, sporting events.

For the ultimate in scalability and performance, the Velocix Media Delivery Platform scales delivery for common elements of the Velocix Virtualized UXP. However the solution is also fully interoperable with any third-party standards-based CDNs or media delivery platforms. Caching the viewing experiences in the cloud also allows screening continuity on any subsequent device in any location, and sharing with the viewer’s social circles.

Paul Larbey, head of Nokia’s IP Video business said: “Content and content services are becoming more and more personalized. The aspects of a content service that control delivery, personalization and self-curation are rapidly being virtualized, moving from the home and proprietary devices into the cloud. The Velocix Virtualized UXP gives television service operators the ability to virtualize the user experience as the STB fades and is replaced by the cloud and “BYO” consumer devices.”

Daniel Simmons, executive director of service provider technology research, IHS Markit said: “Video service providers face an ever-shifting array of threats and opportunities from OTT delivery and the increasing “screen-ification” of just about everything consumers own. It’s never been easier not to meet customers’ expectations, and for them to find alternative providers if they are not satisfied. With this in mind, it’s critical that service providers utilize their UX to cement customer relationships by maximizing engagement and satisfaction whenever, wherever and on whatever screen is being used. This requires a solution that can adapt to any screen size and orientation, and which integrates touch, gesture, voice control and AI.”