Cisco deploys RDK with Hrvatski Telekom for IPTV pilot

Cisco Videoscape Enables Industry Firsts for Hrvatski Telekom With Cloud Video Deployment

LONDON, United Kingdom — TV Connect — Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) today announced that it has successfully implemented the industry’s first Reference Design Kit (RDK)-based IPTV system for pilot purposes in Croatia’s largest operator, Hrvatski Telekom. From conception to deployment, the project was completed in only 50 days.

The new service was implemented using Cisco Videoscape™, deployed as a combination of data center-based equipment and Videoscape Cloud Services SaaS. Announced at CES 2014, Videoscape Cloud Fusion enables service providers to deploy new services quickly by combining traditional, private clouds and SaaS capabilities. Using Cisco Cloud Fusion, the new IPTV service was built, tested and then transferred to Hrvatski Telekom in a remarkably short timeframe.

The new service, the first-ever deployment of video over IPv6 outside of North America, will empower subscribers to access content and services anywhere, on any device, delivered from the cloud.

As a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom and an innovator in the telecoms sector, Hrvatski Telekom’s new IPTV service is based on the DT’s TeraStream network. TeraStream is a software-defined networking (SDN) concept that enables simpler implementation and integration of advanced services delivered from the cloud, including traditional telco services such as voice, IPTV and Internet access.
Key highlights:

• As the industry’s first Reference Design Kit (RDK)-based IPTV deployment, the service is also Europe’s first successful implementation of RDK.
• The RDK is an open-source integrated software stack for set-top devices. The fully tested and integrated system runs on QAM, IP and hybrid devices.
• Videoscape Cloud Fusion helps to reduce operating expenses and increase revenue by delivering more experiences faster than ever.
• Videoscape Cloud Services offers Videoscape software and Videoscape Open APIs as a service (SaaS), using a consumption based model. This enables Cisco customers to deploy new video applications very rapidly. Then, if desired, easily bring these capabilities in-house and automatically scale them, reducing planning and deployment timescales by months or even years.

Mario Gojčeta, Head of TV Platforms Development and Integration Work Unit, Hrvatski Telekom: “The objective of the TeraStream network is to enable agile service innovation, and this project is the perfect example of that. From conception to completion, we were able to launch our pilot service in 50 days — which would have been impossible with traditional solutions. The nature of Videoscape Cloud meant that the components existed, the expertise and understanding was there; it was just a case of making it work for us, and we’re delighted with the result.”

Yves Padrines, Vice President, Service Provider Video, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia, Cisco: “The speed and efficiency of this deployment are testament to the benefits of a software-driven, cloud-powered networking approach. We are delighted to have been able to work with such telecoms innovators to achieve a number of firsts for the service, and we look forward to our continued work with Hrvatski Telekom to prove the capabilities of Cloud.”