TiVo grows Opera TV Store in U.S. market

HTML5 app platform accelerates viewer reach with cable operator roll-outs

OSLO, Norway — Opera Software is rapidly growing its list of U.S. cable TV operators launching the Opera TV Store via TiVo’s whole-home gateway DVR and multi-room client devices. The expansion through TiVo brings numerous new viewers to the HTML5 TV application platform, which enables operators including RCN and Mediacom to offer popular apps and video content to their subscriber bases. More TiVo partner operators are also in the pipeline.

The newest partner to bring on board the Opera TV Store is Evolution Digital, with more than 50 independent cable operators offering the platform to viewers. The Opera TV Store debuted through TiVo’s whole-home television solution earlier this year, with U.S. cable TV operator RCN becoming the first operator deployment under the TiVo agreement. RCN was also the first pay-TV operator globally to bring on board the Opera TV Store. It has since launched on TiVo devices shipping with regional U.S. operators Cable ONE, GCI, Grande Communications, Mediacom, Midcontinent Communications and Wave Broadband.

New content for cable operators

Both Opera Software and TiVo Inc. seek to empower the pay-TV operator market with premium over-the-top (OTT) web content. The launch of the Opera TV Store with these cable operators enables them to outsource content development, acquisition and moderation, while ensuring ease of deployment on their set-top boxes. The Opera TV Store brings popular apps for video-on-demand, sports, music, games, news and more to content-hungry viewers on the biggest screen in the home.

As well as boosting operators’ content offerings to customers, the simplicity of the HTML5 cloud-based app storefront also guarantees ease of deployment for operators. The Opera TV Store features an advanced moderation panel that enables pay-TV operators to manage their subscriber app portfolios, for a tailor-made app experience in their regions. Opera provides engineering collaboration, and operators gain access to advanced statistics on Opera TV Store usage, such as the popularity of individual apps, so they can continuously fine-tune their offerings to subscribers.

“We are excited to see the enthusiasm and rapid uptake of the Opera TV Store among TiVo’s cable operator customers, as well as increasing the reach for our content publishers from coast to coast in the United States,” says Aneesh Rajaram, Senior Vice-President for TV & Devices, Opera Software. “It has been rewarding to engineer what is arguably the easiest-to-deploy HTML5 app platform for pay-TV operators and to partner with an American household favorite, TiVo. The Opera TV Store helps TiVo and cable operators enhance their offerings with the latest and greatest in app content for a premium OTT experience.”