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Contents Axiom Targets Russian Service Providers with Its Service Fulfillment Solutions| Analyst: Glen Hunt | Carrier Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
September 12, 2007 - Axiom announced that BI Telecom, an OSS/BSS consulting company and systems integrator providing advanced technology services to Russian service providers, as a value-added reseller in Russia and CIS markets. The two companies will offer the AXIOSS service fulfillment software suite which incorporates Order Management, Service Inventory and Activation. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on Axiom’s announced agreement with BI Telecom to offer its AXIOSS service fulfillment solutions to service providers in Russia. The move is important to Axiom since the growing demand within Russia for high value services such as triple play, IPTV and VoIP will provide both companies new revenue opportunities. BI Telecom, which is certified by the TeleManagement Forum to deliver next generation OSS solutions and training, will provide a local presence as well as valuable integration experience that will help assure successful deployments. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to Axiom, since international expansion is a key component of its growth strategy. With the growth in advanced services expected to increase in all emerging markets, the partnership with BI Telecom represents a logical next step forward for the two companies. Since the agreement does not specify any exclusivity, both companies are free to pursue other partnership agreements, making the deal somewhat opportunistic in nature. • Market Impact: Moderate on the OSS/BSS market since Axiom can now pursue the Russian service provider market with its suite of products (AXIOSS), which can be backed up by BI Telecom’s integration expertise. The two companies will be able to leverage BI Telecom’s existing service provider customers in the region to jump start their partnership. As with all emerging markets, there will be competition from other OSS/BSS solution providers, therefore their success depends on their ability to leverage existing relationships (BI Telecom) and the strengths of the AXIOSS portfolio. Microsoft TV Facilitating Mediaroom Deployments with Focus on Encoder Interoperability| Analyst: Yoav Schreiber | Digital Media Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
September 7, 2007 -- At IBC 2007, Microsoft TV announced the Mediaroom Interoperability and Qualification Lab (IQ Lab) for digital video encoders, a move to enhance the interoperability and compatibility of encoders used in Microsoft TV’s Mediaroom IPTV deployments. IQ Lab-compliant encoding vendors will become recommended Microsoft TV Mediaroom ecosystem partners. Initial encoding partners that have already signed up for the IQ Lab and completed qualification tests include Envivio, Harmonic, Motorola, Ericsson’s TANDBERG TV, and Thomson. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Microsoft TV’s IBC 2007 announcement of the Mediaroom Interoperability and Qualification Lab (IQ Lab) for digital video encoders, because by enhancing and formally endorsing the interoperability and compatibility of encoders used in Microsoft TV’s Mediaroom IPTV deployments, the IQ Lab will help reduce evaluation time and speed deployment time for Microsoft TV’s high-profile, global IPTV service provider customers. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to Microsoft TV, whose current end-to-end IPTV solution set lacks video networking assets such as video encoders, leaving it vulnerable to rival IPTV software platform vendors with either their own in-house encoder platforms and/or strategic partnerships with established encoder vendors. With the IQ Lab, video encoder vendors that have attained compliance with Microsoft TV’s Mediaroom will become recommended ecosystem partners, thus helping to close this gap in Microsoft TV’s solution offering. Similarly, the IQ Lab also benefits Microsoft TV’s strategic partner Alcatel-Lucent. • Market Impact: Moderate on the IPTV middleware and video headend segments of the digital media infrastructure market, since the IQ Lab represents a more formal endorsement of video encoder partners that are already Microsoft TV ecosystem participants; therefore, it does not materially alter the competitive environment. Furthermore, while Microsoft TV listed the top IPTV headend suppliers in the initial roster of IQ Lab-compliant partners, Cisco Systems and its formidable Scientific-Atlanta unit are noticeably absent. ARRIS Enhances Its D5 Edge QAM’s Switched Digital Video Capabilities with Real-Time Streaming Protocol| Analyst: Erik Keith | Broadband Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
September 6, 2007 – ARRIS announced that its multi-functional D5 Universal Edge QAM (UEQ) will be exhibited at numerous booths throughout the IBC Convention Center. The ARRIS D5 UEQ will display its Switched Digital Video (SDV) with Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) capabilities in interoperability demos with several European equipment and solution suppliers. SDV enables operators to optimize bandwidth utilization to accommodate HD channels, on-demand programming, high speed data and modular CMTS-enabled services. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Neutral on ARRIS’s enhancement of the D5 UEQ platform to include RTSP-based SDV, as RTSP enables cable operators to provide an expanded universe of interactive functions – e.g., play, pause and record – to end user customers via an expanded client/server relationship, as well as further optimize per-connection bandwidth utilization thanks to RTSP’s non-permanent connection capability. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to high to ARRIS, which needed to expand the SDV service delivery capabilities of its D5 UEQ solution set, in order to keep pace with competitors in the edge QAM market, as well as address the ever-evolving cable operator demands for digital video service delivery with solutions that enable operators to maximize the return on investment (ROI) in their hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) networks. • Market Impact: Low as ARRIS will not surprise any of its rivals or customers with this latest enhancement. The IBC interoperability demonstrations with Thomson and IMAKE (validated by IneoQuest), which highlight the RTSP-enabled SDV capabilities of ARRIS’ D5 UEQ and C3 CMTS in conjunction with these third-party solutions, provides ARRIS with solid exposure at Europe’s highest-profile digital video infrastructure trade show/conference. But these types of demos are a dime a dozen; as such, a customer deployment/endorsement of this new RTSP-enabled SDV capability would have generated a higher impact on the market. RGB Networks Expands Reach with Multiple Integration and Reseller Agreements| Analyst: Yoav Schreiber | Digital Media Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
September 6, 2007 – RGB Networks announced a global reseller agreement with Ericsson’s TANDBERG Television, integrating the RGB Broadcast Network Processor (BNP) with TANDBERG TV’s iSIS 8000 IP headend solution. The integrated solution delivers multiplexing, encoding, transrating and digital program insertion in an all-IP environment for satellite, cable, telco and terrestrial networks. The agreement complements other product integration and reseller announcements (with C-COR, SeaChange, and others), increasing the scale and market presence of RGB’s video processing solutions. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on the IBC 2007 announcement that RGB Networks and Ericsson’s TANDBERG TV have signed an integration and reseller agreement. The agreement provides RGB with the global backing of a Tier 1 equipment vendor, increasing the customer access and geographic reach for its video processing solutions, specifically its Broadcast Network Processor (BNP), which enables service providers to support an array of concurrent grooming, statistical multiplexing, transrating, digital program insertion, and overlay solutions for MPEG video. • Vendor Importance: High to RGB because the high profile TANDBERG TV agreement complements simultaneous announcements of product integration with video-on-demand (VoD) platforms from C-COR and SeaChange International, European reseller agreements with systems integrators such as Adrenio, Divitel, and B.A.S.E. Technologies, as well as the opening of a UK lab to facilitate European standards compliance testing. These announcements demonstrate RGB’s momentum in gaining wide partnership support to expand the reach of its video processing solutions – a prerequisite for growing its market traction with customer trials and deployments. • Market Impact: Moderate on the content delivery and video headend segments of the digital media infrastructure market. In addition to the visible product integration and reseller agreements that will help expand RGB’s overall presence, the company’s demonstrated momentum raises the competitive stakes, requiring industry players to evaluate their own positioning and consider RGB as a potentially greater threat, attractive partner or acquisition target. Espial Evolves and Enhances Evo DVR Capabilities| Analyst: Ron Westfall | Digital Media Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
September 6, 2007 – Espial Group Inc., a provider of IPTV middleware and applications, announced it has enhanced Evo DVR with updates to features including Evo StartOver TV, the ability to record multiple programs simultaneously, and an advanced conflict resolution engine. Also at IBC this week, Espial will be launching a new HD user interface and demonstrating new services including Evo Timeshift TV and mobile convergence capabilities. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on Espial’s introduction of enhanced Evo DVR enhancements, such as Evo StartOver TV updates, as the new enhancements demonstrate that Espial continues to generate the technical innovations required to differentiate its operator customer IPTV services from traditional, vanilla broadcast services as well as IPTV services based on rival IPTV middleware technology. • Vendor Importance: High to Espial, because the company needed to update Evo StartOver TV capabilities to prove it can execute on its IPTV middleware product roadmap, complement related portfolio advances such as the launch of new HD user interfaces, and bolster the company’s overall Evo IPTV Service Platform proposition. • Market Impact: High on the IPTV middleware market segment, as Espial already commands over 50 operator customers, can claim over 1 million IPTV subscriber customers (based on unit shipments), and can assert market leadership within the rapidly growing IPTV client middleware market segment. As a result, product and marketing initiatives, such as the introduction of new Evo DVR capabilities, will compel IPTV middleware rivals to respond accordingly with at least their own marketing responses. Force10 and Industria Partner to Deliver Interactive Entertainment Services| Analyst: Glen Hunt | Carrier Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
September 5, 2007 – Force10 announced that it has partnered with broadband solutions provider Industria to build Nova, Iceland’s first purpose-built 3G mobile network. The two plan to bring the solution to other providers throughout Europe, enabling them to capitalize on the revenue potential of mobile video services. The solution leverages Industria’s Digital Living unit and the Force10 TeraScale E-Series family of switch/routers to deliver high value interactive entertainment services. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Force10’s announced partnership with broadband solutions provider Industria. The two companies plan to build Nova, Iceland’s first purpose-built 3G mobile network. Beyond the initial network opportunity, the companies plan to take their solutions to European service providers. The joint solution leverages high performance Ethernet routers from Force10 and Industria’s Digital Living unit, which includes its Zignal master control software. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to Force10 and Industria, since the initial network deployment gives both companies a revenue opportunity and a chance to take a pre-integrated interactive entertainment solution to other service providers seeking to capitalize on high value services. For Force10 the new partnership expands its target markets beyond the data center and high density Ethernet aggregation and into high value consumer oriented applications that can benefit from the E-Series’ high reliability and scalability for Ethernet service delivery. For Industria, the partnership brings a solid Ethernet infrastructure from which it can deliver high bandwidth entertainment services to subscribers. • Market Impact: Moderate on the carrier Ethernet router markets, because although it is a network deployment, future business is dependent on the team to win mind share and the wallets of other providers. The two appear to be targeting the European market with their solution proposition where there is certainly opportunity but also competition from other suppliers. Industria’s niche appears to be the entertainment industry and for applications such as hotel operators see the system as a solution to their hospitality and customer management needs. Verimatrix Is Securing Cable IPTV Services with GoBackTV’s CMTS Bypass| Analyst: Yoav Schreiber | Broadband Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
September 4, 2007 -- Verimatrix announced an OEM partnership with GoBackTV to integrate the Verimatrix Video Content Authority System (VCAS) with GoBackTV’s CMTS bypass technology, providing a cost-effective solution for cable operators to meet the increasing demand to deliver HD and VoD services by delivering secured IPTV streams. The combined solution converts existing cable systems into asymmetric IP networks, enabling cable operators to avoid costly infrastructure upgrades, reclaim bandwidth, and reduce cost via access to a wide variety of IPTV consumer premises equipment. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on Verimatrix announcing its entry into the cable market via an OEM partnership with GoBackTV, because the combined solution will enable smaller cable operators to meet increasing demands for high-definition (HD) and video-on-demand (VoD) services by delivering secured IPTV streams without costly upgrades to their cable modem termination system (CMTS) infrastructure. The launch of the Verimatrix content security solution for cable IPTV is well timed to leverage IBC 2007, broadening the marketing reach of the new offering, which also promises to enhance cable subscriber acquisition potential by providing access to a wide variety of IP set-top-boxes (STBs). • Vendor Importance: High to both Verimatrix and GoBackTV, because the integration of the Verimatrix Video Content Authority System (VCAS) with GoBackTV’s “CMTS bypass” technology enables Verimatrix to expand its downloadable content security leadership into the cable market with a cost-effective solution for delivering secure IPTV services that provides cable operators with efficient bandwidth management capabilities. The announcement provides Verimatrix with a first-mover advantage, by entering the low-end of the cable market with a disruptive cable delivery technology (i.e., CMTS bypass), without disrupting its established partnerships and channels at the high end. GoBackTV gains Verimatrix’s proven experience delivering content security solutions to IPTV and hybrid broadcast/IP environments, as well as the global installation, training, and support provided by Verimatrix. • Market Impact: Moderate on the content security and CMTS market segments, because while Verimatrix’s VCAS solution is widely deployed in telco IPTV solutions, the VCAS for Cable IPTV solution enters Verimatrix into a new market (i.e., cable) with a video headend/CMTS partner that brings an innovative technology proposition but limited footprint. Indeed, while GoBackTV’s CMTS Bypass technology has been successfully tested at BKG-Neuruppin in Brandenburg, Germany, the VCAS for Cable IPTV announcement lacked a customer endorsement, indicating that converting opportunities in this new market niche (i.e., smaller analog-based cable operators looking to add IPTV services) will take time. Harmonic Gets Progressive with HD – 1080p, That Is| Analyst: Erik Keith | Digital Media Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 29, 2007 — Harmonic announced support for high definition (HD) 1080p encoding at 24 frames per second (fps) on its market-leading MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) encoder, the DiviCom Electra 7000. Harmonic also announced that it will showcase its next generation H.264 compression technology for 1080p at 60 or 50 fps—currently the most advanced HD technology available—in the world's first public demonstration at IBC 2007. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Harmonic’s incorporation of support for 1080p into its Electra 7000 encoder platform, as 1080p has proven to be a very effective sales and marketing tool in the consumer electronics sector (i.e., 1080p HDTV sets are selling very well, despite the fact that no broadcast content is delivered at this resolution, since only Blu-Ray and HD DVD utilize 1080p). With 1080p support – in all three frame-per-second formats, 24, 50 and 60 – Harmonic is nevertheless better positioned to win new business with broadcaster/operator customers as they look to transition from 720p and 1080i to the 1080p format. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to high to Harmonic, as the introduction of support for 1080p resolution video, a.k.a. “Full HD,” provides Harmonic with tangible competitive differentiation vis-à-vis rival headend/encoder vendors just in time for IBC 2007 in Amsterdam, one of the highest-profile trade show/conferences of the year. As such, Harmonic can assert its ahead-of-the-curve status with respect to supporting and enabling 1080p TV/video service, which provides broadcasters/operators with a potential service quality differentiator that can be leveraged against rivals. • Market Impact: Moderate on the overall video headend and encoder market, albeit for two entirely different reasons. First, Harmonic is already an established market and technology leader in the encoder market, therefore this move is unlikely to surprise competitors in this sector, and second, the delivery of 1080p signals by broadcasters/service providers all the way to the consumer premise (e.g., STB, HDTV) is unlikely to happen for several years, thus the near-term impact is minimal. Thomson NexGuard Watermarking Solution Flows to Partner Devices| Analyst: Yoav Schreiber | Digital Media Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 29, 2007 - Thomson announced that its NexGuard content security and forensic watermarking solution can now be incorporated into post production and content distribution digital workflow devices and services including transcoder applications, catcher devices and video-on-demand (VoD) servers. In addition to integration with its own Grass Valley Sapphire VoD server, NexGuard has been licensed by OEMs including Agnostic, Anystream, Digital Rapids, Inlet Technologies, Root6 Technology, Telestream and SeaChange. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on Thomson’s announcement that its NexGuard forensic watermarking solution can now be incorporated into post-production and distribution devices by OEM partners, as this expands the reach of Thomson’s content security solution beyond the company’s single-vendor, end-to-end proposition. With the illegal distribution of digital content assets costing the industry an estimated $6 billion annually, cable and IPTV network operators who select solutions incorporating Thomson’s anti-piracy technology will be able to increase the confidence of content owners to release their premium digital assets for superior quality (i.e., HD) and early access (i.e., simultaneous VoD and DVD) distribution. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to Thomson, because the NexGuard watermarking technology is already available as an integrated solution on the company’s own Sapphire VoD servers from its Grass Valley business unit. By licensing its forensic watermarking solution to third parties, Thomson is broadening the reach of this still-emerging technology, proving that it remains agile and competitive vis-à-vis pure-play content security vendors with their own watermarking technologies (e.g., Verimatrix, Widevine). • Market Impact: Moderate on the content security segment of the digital media infrastructure market. While Thomson is a key player overall, with an end-to-end solution portfolio that includes its SmartVision IPTV middleware, Grass Valley video headend (HE) equipment, Cirpack softswitches, home gateways and STBs, as well as deep experience and credibility in the professional entertainment and media industry, Thomson is not as deeply established in the content security segment, which includes conditional access (CA) and digital rights management (DRM). Thus, while Thomson’s strong position gained the company licensing deals for its NexGuard watermarking technology, the announcement lacked a customer endorsement that would have validated the marketability of Thomson’s offering vis-à-vis competitors that have already deployed forensic watermarking solutions. Envivio Produces Three Screens of Cheer for the Trans4M Platform| Analyst: Ron Westfall | Digital Media Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 15, 2007 – Envivio Inc., a technology provider of IP video convergence solutions from mobile to HD, introduced a reconfigurable multichannel and multiplatform IP video encoding architecture for IPTV, Internet TV and mobile TV services. The Trans4M architecture enables a service provider to reconfigure the Envivio Trans4M-based encoders to generate video streams supporting the “3 screens” of video – TVs, PCs and mobile devices. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Envivio’s launch of the Trans4M encoding architecture, which basically extends the deployment range of the existing Trans4M-based encoders, such as the 4Caster C4, to generate video streams to support three screens of video for TV, PC, and mobile device applications via reconfiguration. However, Envivio will encounter tight competition in pursuing this new avenue of technology evolution and business opportunity and would benefit from a carrier endorsement of the new Trans4M architecture. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to high to Envivio as the company needed to launch the Trans4M proposition to enhance the overall appeal of the Trans4M-based encoding platforms as well as pre-empt ongoing rival efforts to develop, modify, and market their respective efforts to integrate and consolidate their encoding platforms to support multiple devices for mobile TV, wireline IPTV, and Internet TV applications. • Market Impact: Moderate on the video headend segment, as the introduction of the Envivio Trans4M architecture essentially represents an upgrade to the existing Trans4M-based encoding platforms. Envivio already possesses respectable market traction within the burgeoning IPTV headend space and the launch of an encoding platform that meets operator imperatives for consolidating the encoding of IP-enabled video to at least three screens – TV, PC, and mobile device – will compel rival marketing reactions. Envivio’s Multi-channel IP Encoders Deliver Integrated IPTV and Internet TV Support| Analyst: Yoav Schreiber | Digital Media Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
July 24, 2007 -- Envivio unveiled the latest version of its 4Caster C4 multi-channel IP encoder, which now simultaneously supports IPTV standard-definition and Common Intermediate Format (CIF) Internet TV resolutions from the same platform. In addition, it can encode AVC/H.264, Windows Media, and QuickTime formats. The new solution minimizes headend expenditure and management complexity for operators looking to offer both services, while providing advanced compression solutions for high-quality video services to compete better with cable and satellite networks. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Envivio’s IBC 2007 unveiling of the latest version of its 4Caster C4 encoder, because this new version of its multi-channel IP encoder enables IPTV operators to deliver both IPTV and Internet TV content from a single platform, while providing them with advanced compression solutions for their high-quality video services to compete with cable and satellite networks. • Vendor Importance: High to Envivio, because the company needs to continue advancing its platform with technologies that deliver increasingly simplified and lower-expenditure solutions for IPTV operators in order to gain additional customer and market traction. While Envivio has already established itself as a viable contender in this market, its long-term survival is dependent on remaining at the technological forefront to counter larger and integrated rivals that have more extensive partnerships, channels, and customer footprints. • Market Impact: Moderate on the IPTV encoding/digital media infrastructure market, because despite the product’s current availability, Envivio’s debut of the latest version of its multi-channel 4Caster C4 lacked a customer endorsement that would have highlighted the product’s value within the operator community. In addition, since the IBC show is more than six weeks away, this announcement is so far ahead of the event that Envivio would be wise to issue a follow-up release just before (or during) IBC; ideally, the related announcement would highlight customer/market traction for the 4Caster C4 and/or Envivio’s Convergence Generation video headend system.
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