ANT and Ocean Blue Partner for HbbTV and Connected TV solutions

CAMBRIDGE, UK — ANT plc (LSE AIM: ANTP), the leading provider of software and services for the delivery of digital TV has today announced a partnership with Ocean Blue Software, digital TV middleware specialist to deliver a fully integrated connected TV software stack. The combined solution provides connected TV services including HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV) by integrating the ANT Galio Platform with Ocean Blue’s Sunrise™ DVB and Voyager™ MHEG technology.

The ANT Galio HbbTV Platform is already the software solution of choice for many of the industry’s leading device manufacturers targeting the HbbTV and connected TV markets. The new partnership utilises Ocean Blue’s advanced Sunrise DVB middleware client and Voyager MHEG system to provide a fully integrated connected TV software stack. This is ideal for CE device manufacturers such as TV and set-top box manufacturers looking to quickly roll out connected devices targeting the HbbTV and other hybrid markets.

The first HbbTV services were launched by German broadcasters in December 2009 and included catch-up programming from ARD and ZDF, VoD (Video on Demand) from Tageschau, ARD digital text and Bayerische Runfunk radio applications. The French government regulatory body for TV issues, the Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA), has since added its support of HbbTV with the launch of French interactive HbbTV services expected in 2011.

The connected TV market continues to grow with a need to deliver increasingly complex services while maintaining an intuitive user-friendly experience. The partnership between ANT and Ocean Blue meets the requirement of large mainstream CE manufacturers looking for an industry weight solution that reduces the development complexity of delivering connected TV devices. The widespread industry support for HbbTV is a strong reflection of this growing hybrid market trend.

Phil Evans, Director of Ocean Blue Software, said: “We’re pleased to be working with ANT. The respective software already deployed by both companies is recognised as market leading and by working together we’re able to deliver a unique market proposition not just for the fast emerging HbbTV market but all connected TV devices.”

Simon Woodward President and CEO of ANT, said: “As TV device manufacturers strive to deliver an increasing array of connected TV services presented in a simple, usable way, they are faced with developing an increasingly complex software solution. This partnership solves the problem by delivering a complete connected TV stack.”