Ericsson introduces MediaFirst end-to-end cloud-based TV platform

Ericsson transforms the TV experience with ‘Ericsson MediaFirst’

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) today introduced Ericsson MediaFirst, a new end-to-end cloud-based platform that embraces all content sources and delivery networks. The announcement, made at the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam, realizes Ericsson’s vision for the future of cloud-driven TV experiences where TV is on any device and the experience evolves with the consumer, which was shared earlier this year.

The rise of broadband connectivity, cloud services and mobility has ushered in a highly disruptive period for the entire TV and media value chain. As highlighted most recently in the findings of Ericsson’s latest ConsumerLab report, consumers are rapidly embracing TV services that provide ease of access and personalization with the highest possible quality. Ericsson MediaFirst serves to address these findings.

At the core of Ericsson MediaFirst is the Ericsson MediaFirst TV Platform; a software-defined, media-optimized platform for the creation, management and delivery of next generation Pay TV. The Ericsson MediaFirst TV Platform equips operators to deliver the most cutting-edge large scale video services to the billions of devices forecast to be connected by 2020. Currently in trials with a targeted set of operators, the platform is offered as a software as a service and will be generally available in Q2 2015.

Per Borgklint, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Support Solutions at Ericsson says: “New screens, devices and services are transforming the way consumers experience content at an unprecedented rate. Ericsson MediaFirst brings the agility, innovation and economic benefits of modern cloud technologies and web services to Pay TV operators, representing a big leap forward in TV technology. With Ericsson MediaFirst, Ericsson is equipping operators and service providers to drive their business in an agile fashion and define, rather than react to, the future of TV.”

Ericsson MediaFirst TV Platform is based on an open and standards-based approach and architected to be cloud agnostic, enabling delivery on public and OpenStack private clouds. Supported by a unified backend that empowers rapid release cycles, the platform delivers seamless deployment capabilities for operators while enabling innovative viewing experiences for consumers. Key features include:

True TV Anywhere: Ericsson MediaFirst TV Platform brings together the best of traditional Pay TV and over-the-top (OTT) content with the same user experience-from navigation to accessing content-across all devices, creating a seamless multiscreen experience from mobile screens to TVs.

Personalized Experience: Users can create their own profiles or share user profiles with other household members, and receive tailored recommendations and content feeds based on data including user viewing history and trending content. Through personal device recognition, the TV recognizes the viewers’ device and dynamically customizes the experience.

Easily Discover and Enjoy: With unified search that integrates all types of content, viewers can easily find their favorite content across live, video on-demand, time-shift and OTT content. An intuitive user experience, complete with voice commands, creates a fast and fluid browsing experience, allowing users to watch more and scroll less.

Agile Operator Portal: Services and user experiences are configured through a single operator dashboard portal, simplifying formerly complex and disjointed operations for Pay TV service providers. The operator portal, powered by a unified backend, enables rapid innovation and reduces time to market to develop and deploy new services seamlessly across all devices.

The robust analytics in the operator portal provides real-time consumer insights into drivers of revenue such as campaign performance and user engagement. This will enable significant operational and cost efficiencies for Pay TV operators, from refining content offerings based on user behavior to maximizing transaction revenues through dynamic pricing models.

The introduction of Ericsson MediaFirst TV Platform builds on Ericsson Mediaroom 2.5, the latest release of the industry leading IPTV platform and Ericsson Mediaroom Reach, which extends the Mediaroom platform to all screens. Together, Ericsson MediaFirst and Ericsson Mediaroom provide TV operators the ability to deploy industry leading TV services, representing the significant investments Ericsson is making to further extend its TV and Media leadership.