Volia Selects Minerva Platform to Offer Multiscreen Television Services

Leading Ukrainian Operator Selects Minerva Platform to Offer Multiscreen Television Services Over Own Cable Network and Third-Party Broadband Infrastructure

LONDON, United Kingdom — Minerva Networks, a leading provider of software solutions for the delivery of television services to connected devices, today announced that Volia, the largest cable television service provider in Ukraine, has deployed Minerva iTVFusion to offer advanced TV services within the region.

The Minerva platform, in combination with the latest adaptive bitrate and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technologies, will enable the Ukrainian operator to offer robust pay TV services over third-party broadband networks, significantly increasing its service footprint. Volia will also deploy Minerva iTVFusion to offer enhanced services to its current cable customers.

At the first stages both cable and broadband subscribers will enjoy over 130 linear standard and high definition channels, additional services like YouTube and on-demand video services. The new services will enable Volia to attract new subscribers outside its own network footprint and increase ARPU for existing customers.

“With the Minerva platform we will be able to offer our customers all the latest features of a pay TV service,” explained Gyorgy Zsembery, CEO of Volia. “March is the start of the journey with a launch of the first step of the ‘VOLIA Smart HD’ range of products. Also the full roadmap for 2013-2014 was developed in order to bring the best product values to our customers in cooperation with our partners.”

After this first key product launch, the next step will be to launch a unique hybrid-IP set-top box in Q2 2013, which will enable existing VOLIA cable subscribers to access all interactive services in addition to their current digital TV.

“We are very pleased that Volia is enjoying strong market traction with our iTVFusion platform,” said Mauro Bonomi, CEO of Minerva Networks. “Volia searched for a solution that could increase the reach of their television services, leverage their existing network infrastructure and allow eco-system flexibility. Minerva was able to deliver on all fronts.”

Solution for Next Generation Services over Any Network

The Minerva solution enables the delivery of robust television services over best effort broadband networks (Broadband TV). It can also blend QAM-delivered content with IP-based video streams and interactivity – all delivered over existing cable networks (Hybrid Cable TV). So advanced features like catch up, restart linear TV program, pause live TV, multiscreen services, a compelling and intuitive user experience can be offered to both broadband subscribers and cable subscribers equipped with new cost effective hybrid-IP set-top boxes.

“Cable TV operators worldwide continue to invest in Internet Protocol-based technologies,” according to Mike Paxton, senior analyst at Multimedia Research Group. “The increasingly competitive global pay TV market is driving the cable industry to enhance their traditional TV offerings with IP-based video services in order to extend their reach and enhance their services.”