Ericsson in 10-year TV4 partnership

TV4 Group has signed a ten-year contract with Ericsson to operate its nationwide playout services. The Swedish broadcaster will also join with Ericsson in establishing a joint technology and business development forum that will look at the development of a more personalised TV experience.

“Through this contract between TV4 Group and Ericsson, we are securing our playout services and technical development for many years to come,” says Jan Scherman, CEO of the TV4 Group (pictured on the left). “The partnership also means that we will jointly develop the TV solutions of the future with Ericsson, a leading telecom and multimedia vendor. This will be beneficial for both companies.”

Ericsson has managed the playout for Canal+ in the Nordic region since 2007. The pay-TV broadcaster was acquired by TV4 in 2008 and now 40 employees will transfer from TV4.

“This deal really shows that internet, media and telecom are really converging and it’s interesting to work with TV4 because they are interacting with operators. From that point of view it is a very important deal for showing that convergence,” said Ericsson’s Mikael Bäckström, Head of Market Unit Nordic and Baltics. “We will utilise our technology when it comes to multimedia and TV moving forward”.

Many of the technologies under consideration by the development forum come from Ericsson’s Tandberg Television division.