On the basis of the agreement, Zee TV, one of the leading TV networks in India, will deploy the “Over-The-Top (OTT) TV” solution from Siemens CMT.
This opens up new ways for TV entertainment to reach the viewer: Instead of delivering content via cable, satellite, terrestrial networks or IPTV, consumers are now enabled to benefit from comfortable OTT offerings, available over the open Internet and directly delivered to the TV or other media devices.
Within new broadband networks it will also be possible to enjoy content in HD quality on the go on mobile phones and portable media players. No additional hardware is required – the functions of set-top boxes are taken over by browser and apps. Such apps can be used for mobile devices like smartphones or tablets, as well as for Connected TVs. The viewers can expect a whole new range of content choice and advanced value add features.
International media group Zee Entertainment will launch more than 100 TV programmes and thousands of hours of on-demand content in HD quality under the brand “Ditto TV”. The service will be accessible on a wide range of different CE devices – and this in all countries in which Zee TV is available: India, UK, USA and the United Arab Emirates. Siemens CMT supports Zee Entertainment by a technology end-to-end solution including content aggregation, protection and delivery.
The multi-screen offering “Ditto TV” will be launched in October, and provides a completely new TV experience for the viewers. By means of the innovative Siemens “Swipe” technology, the user can direct the currently active content to another device at the touch of a finger – and continue viewing seamlessly.
The user interface is automatically scaled to fit all devices and is always intuitively designed and easy to use. The system supports all types of devices, from PCs to tablets, smartphones and mobile phones, up to Connected TVs. The Siemens “Over-The-Top TV” suite of technologies enables live-TV, video on-demand and time-shifted TV. Viewers can subscribe to specific programmes and order movies by pay-per-view. A recommendation engine suggests personalised highlights to the viewer.
Vishal Malhotra, Business Head, Digital Media at Zee Entertainment, said: “With ‘Ditto TV’, based on the OTT-solution from Siemens CMT, we open up a completely new TV experience to all our viewers in the whole world. TV and content can be enjoyed regardless of the device – be it PCs, Connected TVs, tablets or on mobile phones which are wide-spread, especially in India. Siemens CMT’s understanding of our requirements for product and business modelling convinced us already in the pre-run of the project – and also now during active deployment. Together with Siemens CMT as our technology partner we will be enabled to take a pioneering role in OTT TV on a global scale.”
Stefan Jenzowsky, Head of Multimedia Siemens CMT, added: “We are pleased to support Zee TV in the launch of this new innovative multi-screen TV service across several regions. Our OTT TV solution can change the way TV programming and content are distributed and consumed. TV operators can offer their content securely to a broad audience and this without high investment in additional hardware. Viewers benefit from the opportunity to individually select content of choice and the use of advanced innovative added value services. The cooperation with Zee Entertainment positions our solution right into some of the most interesting markets worldwide.”