More than 50 US pay-TV networks take Mobi app-based services

More than 50 US pay-TV networks take Mobi app-based services
Editor
| 31 July 2018

The idea that TV is accessed from mobile-style apps rather than a traditional EPG has garnered as many brickbats as bouquets but mobile TV pioneer Mobi TV is offering evidence that the concept is rapidly catching on in the US at least.

mobiTV 31July2018The application-based pay-TV video delivery solutions provider argues that many pay-TV operators would 'love' to compete with a modern app-based approach to their video services but face large investments to upgrade their existing head-end infrastructure. And as proof of the acceptance of this model, it has now revealed that more than 50 customers in the US, representing a total subscriber base of approximately a million across the country, have rolled out app-based television through the MobiTV Connect Platform.

The companies include All West Communications, Arvig, ATMC (Atlantic Telephone Membership Corporation), Dalton Utilities/OptiLink, Elevate Fiber, Fidelity Communications, Greenlight Community Broadband, MetroNet, Nex-Tech, Nortex Communications, RiverStreet Networks, and USA Communications.

“It is becoming apparent that app-based TV is the future for delivering pay services,” said MobiTV CEO and chairman Charlie Nooney. “In a world where video is growing increasingly competitive from OTT offerings, operators must reduce the expense and overhead associated with pay-TV. Given that we are a software-based solution that provides both in-network and managed service options, we provide a level playing field for operators in terms of cost and, equally important, we allow them to take a leadership role in the user experience.”

The company’s solution to meeting the users’ demand is the MOBITV Connect Platform from which the company says operators can transition their network’s video delivery system to a customisable, extendable IP-based approach that includes on-demand, live TV, catch-up TV, network DVR, and recommendations. It also includes secured streaming delivery rights from major media brands and MobiTV adds that its now authorised to ingest content once and deliver it in an app-based framework to multiple operators.

“Sustaining our legacy cable TV architecture has become cost prohibitive while the experience it provides our customers struggles to satisfy expectations,” added Jody Heustess, vice president, marketing and customer care at ATMC. “[We have] a platform by which we can meet our customers' demands without the need for constant high cost capital investments.”