GVTC Communications moves to IP video delivery with WISI

WISI Powers New IPTV and ABR Multiscreen Video Service for GVTC Communications

VANCOUVER, BC — GVTC Communications chose WISI, a global leader in carrier-grade video technologies, for their full headend conversion from RF to IPTV. Launching in September 2023, this major upgrade is powered by the Inca IP Video Platform and gives GVTC customers new over-the-top (OTT) streaming video services, accessible on all multiscreen devices.

GVTC had previously partnered with WISI on modernizing its off-air service, for the first step in future-proofing their video network. “One of the reasons we selected WISI was because their Inca platform is modular. It’s compatible with ATSC 1.0 and only needed a simple upgrade to ATSC 3.0. It wasn’t a big forklift update, which we really liked,” said Dennis Krumblis, Video Engineering Supervisor at GVTC.

WISI’s flexible Inca IP Video Platform easily allowed modernization of both off-air channels, and the larger conversion to IPTV. The Inca IP Video Platform is a live linear and ABR solution that specializes in bridging the gap between current and future video technologies and replaces racks of headend equipment in one sophisticated platform.

GVTC relies on the Inca IP Video Platform to receive all 270 video streams for video processing and transcoding for delivery over IP to the rest of the network.

“Everything is flowing from one service over the internet, making video delivery much, much simpler,” said Krumblis. “The Inca is very intuitive. With the user interface, it’s very easy for us to monitor our equipment, view necessary data, and cut down on monitoring time. While cost comes into play when deciding on a platform, features are more important,” said Krumblis.

Now GVTC subscribers can choose between set-top boxes or alternative bring-your-own devices (BYOD), like Fire TV sticks. New customers will not require professional installation, eliminating the need for truck rolls and cutting down on operational costs.

“Our team is excited to help future proof GVTC’s video service and elevate their offering to subscribers,” said Sharen Sandhu, VP Product at WISI America. “We are proud to play a part in bringing carrier-grade multiscreen services to the communities of south-central Texas.”

“We were very impressed with the level of flexibility within the WISI Group, especially for being a large company. They were able to react quickly to our needs and it was one of the deciding factors in choosing WISI. The support and implementation team at WISI is very responsive. They were a bright spot while working on this big project,” said Krumblis.