The OTT software solutions provider Vewd and TV manufacturer Vestel have unveiled the Vewd Operator TV, a fully featured smart TV with a built-in, content-enriched pay-TV experience.
Rather than up-selling pay-TV services through a separate set-top box or competing alongside other apps inside hard-to-discover smart TV app environments, operators can now own the entire smart TV consumer experience – from home screen to app discoverability – from the moment a consumer purchases the TV.
Operator TV combines Vewd’s smart TV software with Vestel’s TV manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution expertise.
Commenting on the development, Bar?? Alt?nkaya, Vestel VP of marketing and product management, said: “Vestel is pleased to add our expertise in building high-quality, full-featured smart TVs to empower Vewd’s Operator TV solution.
“By working directly with Vewd and the operator, we can leverage our vast manufacturing and retail distribution experience to contribute in reducing time-to-market, enabling substantial Operator CapEx savings while delivering an experience that delights subscribers, reduces churn and improves subscriber satisfaction”.
Vewd’s Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business model aligns Operator TV with pay-TV subscription models and revenue, distributing costs, development time, and risk.
Critical functionality comes standard in an Operator TV:
• Conditional Access available to ensure broadcast and IP content security
• Cloud-managed reference user experience (UX) or the Operator’s customized UI
• Content including premium OTT and video-on-demand, FAST channels, and full support for broadcast channels
Aneesh Rajaram, CEO of Vewd, added: “Operators have tried different strategies to embrace smart TV, but together with Vestel, we’ve made the first solution that seamlessly connects pay-TV and smart TV.
“Consumers are streaming more and connecting fewer devices to the TV. As a result, Operators are forced to fight for visibility among smart TV apps. Vewd Operator TV ensures operators of any size can seize control from the start and win the home’s most important screen”.
