CABLE CONGRESS 2011 – LUCERNE. Liberty Global has strenuously denied that there will be any delay in the launch of UPC’s new home gateway Horizon. It has also revealed that it is currently in touch with 4-5 cable operators about the possibility of sharing the gateway “if the economics are right”.
Speaking at the first marketing session at Cable Congress, Doron Hacmon, MD products and online media, UPC Broadband Holding Services BV, said that there have been “no announcements” and there is “no delay” in the programme for Horizon.
When questioned as to whether or not it might include services such as Google TV, he added that no decisions on what will be allowed on the platform have yet been taken, though Liberty “are preparing to make the platform open”.
They will also be “more than happy” to share it with other parties, such as cable operators, if the economics are right.
Hacmon conceded that advertising on Horizon was still something of a “big unknown”, although the company has created plug-ins for advertisers.
Furthermore, while the marketing concept is still being developed. “it will not be about functionality”, but rather “about the experience, feeling comfortable.”
The goal of Horizon is to “democratize the TV experience”, with its development based on five principles: user interface’s core values (simple, intuitive and elegant); contextual integration; dual viewing mode; second screen synchronisation; and creating a platform.
