Motorola Raises Competitive Heat in Multi-screen Content Management with SunUp Acquisition

| May 12, 2011 | Digital Media Infrastructure
| Analyst: Yoav Schreiber

Event Summary

May 10, 2011 – Motorola Mobility announced the acquisition of SunUp Digital Systems, a network operations management software provider. SunUp’s software will enhance the Motorola Medios software platform with a modular system for automating content, business rule, service and workflow management tasks for multi-screen content delivery. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Quick Take

Analytical Summary

• Current Perspective: Very positive on Motorola Mobility’s acquisition of SunUp Digital Systems, because, despite product overlap with some elements of Motorola’s Medios service management software suite, the small transaction nets Motorola Mobility key assets that bolster Medios’ functionality for dealing with the complexity of multi-screen service delivery. This is a strategic acquisition for Motorola to gain functionality rapidly in a market where cable, satellite and telco operators are accelerating their efforts to deliver content to multiple screens. As a result, Motorola has a more comprehensive portfolio for multi-screen service management, expands its customer footprint with satellite operators, broadens its IPTV/Mediaroom expertise, and is positioned to challenge its video solution rivals more directly.

• Vendor Importance: High to Motorola Mobility, as the acquisition is another signal that Motorola is committed to the video and multi-screen management market and that it continues to invest strategically in the space to secure both offensive and defensive advantages – adding key technologies to its platform and keeping those technologies out of the hands of rivals. In particular, Motorola Mobility is filling critical gaps in its Medios platform by gaining SunUp’s solutions for contract rights management and live stream service management. In addition, Motorola gains Microsoft Mediaroom back-office expertise, directly challenging Alcatel-Lucent, whose Multi-screen Video Solution and Foundation are positioned for extending Mediaroom environments for multi-screen services.

• Market Impact: High on the digital media and IP service infrastructure markets since the SunUp acquisition is yet another signal that competition in the content/asset management space is heating up. The multiple content formats, contract rights, entitlements and merchandizing permutations for multi-screen content is becoming increasingly complex to manage. Since complexity lends itself to market opportunities, service provider infrastructure vendors need to ensure that they position themselves appropriately in this growing market, especially as much of it is a natural extension of their existing portfolios for broadcast or on-demand content management, or service delivery platforms for service creation and execution.

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Current Perspective

Competitive Strengths and Weaknesses

Response & Recommendations

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