2Wire MediaPoint Accelerates Service Provider Delivery of Entertainment Services, Bridging Television and the Internet

2Wire solution gives service providers a cost effective means to deliver on-demand Internet content and personal media to the television

SAN JOSE, California — Extending its suite of innovative broadband media offerings, 2Wire today introduced the MediaPoint™ broadband entertainment solution, a customizable platform that unites the television with Internet video, music, and photos, as well as personal networked media content.

The MediaPoint solution combines a digital media player with the 2Wire Service Management System (SMS) and Media Software, enabling the integration of multiple sources of Internet content as well as operator billing, account management, and content distribution. This comprehensive turnkey solution gives service providers the ability to immediately offer subscribers a complete suite of entertainment services at a fraction of the cost of facilities-based solutions.

For subscribers, the MediaPoint solution offers an intuitive, compelling experience of new media. It provides a simple means of browsing, downloading, and viewing DVD-quality video and movies, listening to streaming music, viewing and sharing photos, and accessing personal networked media content — all on the television, using any broadband connection.

“The MediaPoint broadband entertainment solution enables attractive service offerings for providers, and a full-featured, user-friendly experience for subscribers. It bridges the divide between the Internet and the television with one integrated, provider-branded user experience,” said Jonathan Symonds, VP of product marketing and management, media, at 2Wire. “MediaPoint broadband entertainment platform provides a fully managed solution at a price point that enables significant marketing flexibility for the operator.”

A Flexible Broadband Entertainment Solution

The MediaPoint broadband entertainment solution is comprised of three components: the MediaPoint digital media player, 2Wire Media Software, and the 2Wire Service Management System (SMS):

• The MediaPoint digital media player, designed and specified by 2Wire, is the hardware component of the MediaPoint broadband entertainment solution. It includes support for SD and HD content, SD and HD TV interfaces, wired and wireless network connectivity, internal storage, and USB expansion. It supports connections to televisions via HDMI, Component, Composite, and Optical Audio. In addition, the MediaPoint digital media player can be customized by the provider with the storage and external interface options that best fit their offering, pricing, and deployment schedule.
• 2Wire Media Software enables a fully-converged experience of Internet video and local media on the television. Via an intuitive, provider-branded user interface, users can access online streaming video, browse and download movies for viewing on their television sets, and enjoy music, photos, and other Web-based entertainment services. The software also includes UPnP AV and DLNA technology that automatically discovers media content stored on every networked device in the home and displays it on the TV for fast, easy access. 2Wire Media Software also supports key service elements such as subscription or “a la carte” purchasing or rental models, Parental Controls, customizable interfaces, and an integrated advertising model.
• The 2Wire Service Management System (SMS) enables service providers to manage all aspects of their broadband entertainment services, including operator billing, account management, and content distribution and licensing systems. Built-in set-top box management and diagnostic and reporting tools can help to decrease customer care costs, while support for pre-roll, post-roll, and overlay advertising offer revenue-generating opportunities. With 2Wire SMS, service providers can deliver efficient subscriber service activation, account creation, authentication, billing, and near-instantaneous, on-demand content delivery.