Ericsson announces MediaFirst TV Platform integration onto RDK

Ericsson and RDK Management LLC announce MediaFirst TV Platform integration onto RDK

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) is delivering accelerated next-generation TV and media services capabilities to RDK environments through the integration of its cloud-based MediaFirst TV Platform with the RDK (Reference Design Kit), a pre-integrated software solution to power customer-premises equipment (CPE).

The benefits gained from integrating the Ericsson MediaFirst TV Platform onto the RDK are more relevant than ever before as Cable and Satellite TV providers evolve toward a hybrid-IPTV delivery infrastructure. The integration paves the way for seamless IP-based TV delivery supported by Ericsson’s MediaFirst cloud-first approach.

“In this new IP world, consumers will put even greater demands on their providers to deliver amazing viewing experiences,” said Shiva Patibanda, Head of Business Line TV Platforms, Ericsson. “By integrating MediaFirst TV onto the RDK, we can offer cable operators or any TV operator adopting RDK, a powerful cloud-based TV Platform to expand capabilities above and beyond consumers’ expectations.”

“Pay TV operators around the globe can now benefit from the common underlying software of the RDK, while retaining the ability to differentiate their customer facing TV experience using the innovative MediaFirst TV platform,” said Steve Heeb, President and General Manager of RDK Management, LLC. “Ericsson is a proven IPTV market leader whom we are proud to collaborate with and look forward to scaling this integration across Ericsson’s global customer base.”

Ericsson MediaFirst is a software-defined, media-optimized end-to-end portfolio suite for the creation, preparation, management and delivery of next generation pay-TV to any screen with an immersive TV viewing experience. The Ericsson MediaFirst TV Platform puts the future of TV viewing in the hands of consumers now, delivering intuitive services and features TV service providers can seamlessly implement and operate, enabling their customers to consume the content they want anytime, anywhere.

To date, more than 275 technology companies have joined the RDK community, including CE manufacturers, SoC vendors, software developers, system integrators, and TV service providers across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa. Operators can either access the software directly from RDK Management, LLC, or receive the software through a third party, such as Ericsson.

The RDK is administered by the RDK Management, LLC, a joint venture between leading pay TV providers. The open RDK software solution enables TV and Internet service providers to standardize certain elements of a customer-premises equipment software solution and also to easily customize the operator applications and user experiences across multiple devices. The RDK software is available at no cost to the RDK community in a shared source manner, and RDK community member companies can contribute software changes and enhancements to the RDK software.

Ericsson’s Media division is now one of the largest and most broadly capable business partners to accelerate the TV opportunity for all in Media. Ericsson manages and delivers over 500 TV channels, powers the pay TV experience for over 19 million subscribers, and enables millions of viewers each day to watch TV on every device around the globe.