Eurostar and Pace win Etisalat deal to support delivery of 'eLife' triple play services

Eurostar to develop and deploy HD PVR and Advanced Residential Gateways in UAE

ABU DHABI — Eurostar, a pioneer and market leader in the digital satellite receiver industry, and Pace plc (LSE: PIC), a leading global developer of technologies and products for managed subscription TV and broadband services, have been appointed by Etisalat to enable delivery of digital TV services to its customers.

To enable the rollout of Etisalat’s eLife triple play (TV, Internet and phone) services through the fiber-optic network, Pace has developed High Definition Personal Video Recorder (HD PVR) set-top boxes and Advanced Residential Gateway solutions.

Etisalat’s eLife triple play services give customers the opportunity to experience exciting and value added features and benefits on TV, Internet and landline. The triple play service bundles double play along with great entertainment through Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), all of which is delivered through a single access network.

“Etisalat’s new generation fiber-optic network is set to give a huge boost to HDTV in the UAE, along with fast-speed Internet and enhanced phone services,” said Raju T. Jethwani, Chairman of Eurostar Group. “Backed by our extensive expertise and our long association with Pace UK, (world’s leading technology developer for Global Pay TV market), we are poised to play a major role in accelerating the HDTV revolution in the region.”

Eurostar and Pace showcased the new solutions, alongside other product platforms, at CABSAT 2011, the annual cable and satellite product exhibition that was held at Sheikh Rashid Hall, Dubai International Convention Centre, from February 8 to 10, 2011.

Mathias Hautefort, President, Pace Europe, said: “Etisalat has a strong presence in the Middle East and so the opportunity to help the corporation take digital services in the region to the next level is very exciting. Pace has a reputation for putting our customers and the end user experience at the heart of everything we do. The new solutions are a great example of how we can enable operators to offer new and expanded services, increasing their revenue potential while also offering consumers a fantastic and user-friendly experience.”

The Pace HD PVR will support delivery of these services by providing state of the art digital TV features, including VOD, PVR and Interactive services, while Pace’s Advanced Residential Gateway enables delivery of a variety of wireless digital services into the home through a single device. Together, these will allow Etisalat to offer its customers a range of options for their digital entertainment and services experience.

“Cabsat is the perfect platform for Eurostar to showcase its products as well as its growth strategy,” added Jethwani. “The new strategy will see us consolidating our position in the digital satellite receiver industry by introducing innovative and cutting edge services and products. Geographically, we have embarked on an ambitious expansion drive that will cover new markets, including the whole of Middle East and most countries in Africa.”

Pace’s HD PVR, a Linux based platform, and its Advanced Residential Gateway, integrate the SoftAtHome Middleware and the Verimatrix Conditional Access system in order to allow Etisalat to manage and control digital content while also offering end-users a simple and user-friendly experience.