IBC 2016: Ericsson, UKTV partner to deliver UK’s first virtualized live event broadcast

Ericsson is working with UKTV, the country’s biggest multichannel broadcaster, to deliver the UK’s first virtualized live event broadcast. Ericsson’s Virtualized Live Playout service will help UKTV launch and broadcast live events on its award-winning network of channels, which includes the UK’s most watched non-public service broadcasting channel, Dave.

The product will be unveiled for the first time at IBC Show (Hall 1, D61) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Ericsson’s Virtualized Live Playout is an entirely software based, fully managed service that operates on a fully virtualized cloud environment. The service features a highly flexible commercial and operational model, which enables broadcasters and content owners the ability to ‘rent’ playout or channel capacity on a daily, pay as you go basis with no long-term commitments, capex, maintenance costs or on-going technology investments.

Virtualized Live Playout is designed to carry live content and support graphics and ad insertion, and is built and operated to the same standards of reliability as traditional linear services. The service can be used for ‘pop up’ or temporary live channels or as a disaster recovery service and is a part of Ericsson’s Virtualized Playout portfolio.

Sinead Greenaway, Director of Technology and Operations, UKTV, says: “Virtualized Live Playout is the product of a collaboration between UKTV and Ericsson to solve a real business problem – the delivery of a cost effective and flexible solution to support UKTV’s live broadcast ambitions. We are delighted to have been part of such an innovative project and look forward to the service becoming an integral part of the broadcast landscape over the coming years.”

Thorsten Sauer, Head of Broadcast and Media Services, Ericsson, says: “Our Virtualized Live Playout service is a real-life example of utilizing advances in virtualization and cloud technology. It will provide our customers with the flexibility and agility that their programming needs while having ‘linear equivalent’ reliability without the need for dedicated technology investment and the risk of under-utilized capacity. This new service complements our industry leading playout portfolio and leverages our vast experience in running live services including high profile sports, entertainment and news events, which we deliver every day for our clients through our playout centers across the globe.”

In July, Ericsson announced the extension of its playout, video on demand (VOD) and access services contracts with UKTV. As part of the contract, Ericsson announced the migration of UKTV’s VOD preparation services to its end-to-end Package and Deliver managed service, which is powered by Ericsson’s cloud media processing service platform.

Ericsson is one of the leading global providers of broadcast and media services, and has worked with some of the world’s most well-known broadcasters, platforms and content producers, including BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, BT Sport, ITV, FOX, DreamWorks, Liberty Global, NPO, Canal+, NOS, Bonnier Group, Sky, HBO, TV5 Monde and France 24.

Every year, Ericsson Broadcast and Media Services distributes more than 2.7 million hours of programming in more than 90 languages for more than 500 TV channels worldwide. Ericsson’s global content discovery portfolio spans more than 10 million movies and program titles covering over 35 languages. Globally more than 200 million people interact with Ericsson’s rich metadata each week. In addition, Ericsson provides over 230,000 hours of subtitling each year – more than 100,000 hours of which is live.