Motive Television is planning to acquire Adecq Digital, the Barcelona company behind the Bestv DTT technology. The AIM quoted technology venture intends to fund the purchase, and future growth, through a £4.75 million (€5.68 million) subscription issue.
The purchase of Adecq will give Motive global rights to the technology it has managed since July 2009 by bringing Spain and Italy into the fold.
“We already own the global distribution rights for Bestv (excluding Spain and Italy) and Adecq Digital has strong synergies with our recent acquisition, NXVision Limited,” said Motive Television chairman Michael Pilsworth. “This acquisition further demonstrates the progress we have made in achieving our stated objectives. As the majority owner of the technology rather than simply being a distributor we are well placed to boost our earnings potential.”
Bestv technology enables digital terrestrial (DTT) broadcasters to offer push VOD, pay-TV and catch-up TV over the air to a TV set without the need for an internet connection. A hybrid version is also available which incorporates video from the internet in combination with over the air content.
Bestv has been deployed nationally by Mediaset in Italy and regionally in Spain since December 2009; pilot operations are currently underway at TV Nova in the Czech Republic and Antenna Hungaria in Hungary.