Swedish Voddler has signed a global deal with Zee for branded streaming movie service.
Zee also gets an option to invest in Voddler under the deal. Voddler will build a global service for streaming of Zee’s content. The new OTT service will be branded and marketed by Zee globally, with India, the US and Indonesia as initial target markets.
The new service will be using Voddler’s streaming cloud technology, VoddlerNet. “The VoddlerNet cloud stores and streams larger video volumes at a superior quality than existing streaming solutions. It also saves on average 95% of normal streaming costs,” according to the company.
“The Voddler solution scales at all data levels and makes true global online streaming feasible, both from a financial and technical perspective. To continue to build the world’s most efficient cloud-based streaming solution, we couldn’t hope for a more visionary partner than Zee,” said Marcus Bäcklund, Voddler’s CEO.
“Zee turned 20 years this fall. As we now step into our third decade, we are transforming ourselves from a broadcaster to a narrowcaster that will cater to every screen. Voddler’s solution, with its innovative streaming technology and almost limitless cloud solution, enables us to execute on that strategy fast and efficiently,” added Zee’s chairman Subhash Chandra.
The first consumer facing part of the partnership will be a pilot VOD-service, built and operated by Voddler, featuring Zee premium content, offered globally for both online and offline viewing and due for release in early 2014. Initial focus markets include India, USA and Indonesia, markets with proven interest in Bollywood-content. Under the agreement, Zee has also an option to invest $5 million in Voddler.
