Ericsson Optimizes Next-Gen TV Anywhere Services, Debuts Broadcast Services Division

As video increasingly dominates network traffic, Ericsson will be at NAB Show 2013 to demonstrate how its solutions, services, and expertise uniquely enable networks of all kinds to become video-centric and optimized. Demonstrations will show how Ericsson is responding to the major trends that are affecting the TV industry, enabling operators to effectively manage, deliver, and monetize the next generation of TV Anywhere services.

The explosion in fixed and mobile data is being driven by the proliferation of video-capable connected devices and the consumer desire to view content anytime, anywhere. Ericsson’s ConsumerLab research shows that 67 percent of consumers said that they use IP-enabled mobile devices for everyday TV viewing. Ericsson is focused on helping operators, broadcasters and content owners to meet the consumer demand for TV Anywhere, accelerate innovation in consumer experiences, and efficiently manage the delivery of video by any network.

“The optimization and management of networks to accommodate the growing amount of video is a key priority for operators and service providers,” said Ove Anebygd, Vice President and Head of TV, Ericsson. “At NAB we are demonstrating how we are uniquely positioned, with award-winning solutions and services, to help our customers to monetize content and maximize consumer value as multi-screen meets mobility.”

Visitors to booth #SU821 will be able to meet key members of the senior Ericsson team and experience the latest demonstrations of the company’s cutting-edge TV solutions designed to enable efficient video-centric networks and drive service evolution of TV in a multi-screen world. Highlights of the Ericsson booth will include:

Enabling efficient video-centric networks

NAB Show launch of:

• LTE Broadcast – Ericsson’s unique end-to-end broadcast eco-system for video delivery over LTE networks, utilizing a unique combination of three new standards, eMBMS, HEVC and MPEG DASH, to revolutionize video delivery in mobile networks and address growing consumer demand for TV Anywhere services.
• Re-defining the Operator CDN, the new Ericsson Media Delivery Network, which is uniquely designed to unite the delivery of managed and unmanaged content over fixed and mobile networks.
• High performance compression platform, which raises the bar for efficiency and flexibility in the delivery of TV services over all networks. The AVP 4000, powered by Ericsson’s first-ever in-house developed programmable video processing chip, is a unique single platform addressing multiple applications, regardless of codec, resolution or network.
• Ericsson SVP 5500 HEVC encoder, the world’s first HEVC/H.265 encoder for the delivery of linear TV over mobile networks, which greatly reduces bandwidth requirements for current and future services.

There will also be live demonstrations of MPEG-DASH adaptive streaming and Ultra High Definition TV (UHDTV).

Ericsson will debut its Broadcast Services business at NAB Show 2013. The new division combines the global services expertise of Ericsson with the deep broadcast industry track record of Technicolor’s Broadcast Services division, which Ericsson acquired in July 2012.

Thorsten Sauer, Head of Broadcast Services at Ericsson, says: “While the TV and media domain is becoming increasingly competitive, with a proliferation of new players and platforms, it is existing broadcasters that are in pole position to build on their brand profile and viewer loyalty to take the lead in the next generation of TV anywhere.

“But while these broadcasters are leaders in content, they face the challenge of adapting to a fast-changing and complex technological landscape, and of responding to viewers’ changing demands and patterns of consumption.

“Most broadcasters do not have the time, the scale or the infrastructure to adapt effectively to today’s technical challenges such as media asset management, multi-platform multi-screen delivery, archiving and disaster recovery. At NAB Show 2013 we will demonstrate how outsourcing technical and operation management is the natural answer to broadcasters’ challenges, enabling them to focus on engaging their viewers and delivering the TV experiences that consumers want.”

Highlights of Ericsson Broadcast Services’ NAB debut will include:

• Ericsson´s engagement with a major US cable and satellite TV network to manage the playout services in the Nordic countries.
• A case study showing how Sweden’s largest commercial broadcaster achieved lower costs and greater technical flexibility with a fully managed service from Ericsson, covering media management, post-production, playout, and studio and newsdesk facilitation.
• Ericsson’s integrated end-to-end solution for a major Dutch football subscription channel, ensuring continuity on both live and catch-up TV, lower costs and high Quality of Service.

Ericsson can provide huge value to the TV industry. Today, Ericsson is the undisputed leader in both skills and global delivery of managed services for telecoms, and serves more than 950 million subscribers worldwide. Ericsson also has a strong broadcast services foothold in Europe, where it already manages over 1.5 million hours of broadcast TV every year to world-class standards, for more than 200 channels.                        

Ericsson’s Broadcast Services team will also be on-site at NAB, following the company’s 2012 acquisition of the broadcast services division of Technicolor. The team will discuss its leading position in this area, and how the company is enabling broadcasters to meet and manage increasing technological complexity and competition in the TV market.

Ericsson has also announced the launch a new high-performance compression platform which raises the bar for efficiency and flexibility in the delivery of TV services over all networks. The AVP 4000, powered by Ericsson’s first-ever in-house developed programmable video processing chip, is a unique single platform addressing multiple applications, regardless of codec, resolution or network.

“The AVP 4000 is the most powerful compression platform of its kind and offers a truly multi-platform solution without compromise on picture quality or development flexibility. Core to this step change in performance is our own professional video chip. This programmable chip gives us the performance and the control necessary to develop and implement the algorithms required to achieve the highest bandwidth efficiency across all delivery networks,” said Dr. Giles Wilson, Head of TV Compression Business, Ericsson.

“For the past twenty years we have developed and driven the best and most advanced compression and video processing algorithms and always invested in the best technology to support them. Developing our own chip is the next logical step and came as a result of technology advances that allow us to package our algorithms into silicon and the opportunity we have to leverage Ericsson’s deep experience of chip development.”

With the need to balance consumer demand for new services and costly upgrades of existing delivery infrastructures, Ericsson’s customers will benefit from the highest performance available to maximize the efficiency of any current and new platform. Built on Ericsson’s own technology, the AVP 4000 ensures operators can remain innovative and responsive by leveraging leading technology and a professional relationship.

Ibrahim Gedeon, TELUS’ Chief Technology Officer says: “TELUS is continuing its long-standing relationship with Ericsson and already trialing the new AVP 4000. The performance of new encoder will enable us to build a TV platform for the future and further enhance our customers’ experience, with better picture quality and improved services.”

By addressing all applications, codecs, resolutions and profiles, Ericsson’s AVP single platform eases integration, expansion, re-purposing, training, repair and upgrades, considerably lowering the overall cost of ownership. It offers the highest performance and broadest capability in the industry on a single platform across all applications, from SD to HD, 1080p50/60, 3DTV and Ultra High Definition TV (UHDTV), and all codecs, including MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC and JPEG2000, with 4:2:0 and 4:2:2, 8-bit and 10-bit all supported.

Ericsson predicts that by 2020, there will be 50 billion connected devices, 15 billion of which will be video enabled. To meet the changing consumer demand, operators must deploy new services within the often-tough constraints of bandwidth, spectrum and legacy networks.

“Our knowledge of the consumer landscape ensures that we are firmly positioned to see what the current trends are, and what the demands of tomorrow will be,” said Ove Anebygd, Vice President and Head of TV, Ericsson. “We know that convenience and high quality are hugely important to consumers, and as a result we understand that video performance and network efficiency are crucial to broadcasters, TV service providers, and operators. Ericsson has been developing chips for a long time in mobile devices and networks, and as a result we are perfectly positioned to build upon this expertise to support our customers with the real-time video processing and compression solutions they require today.”

This unique product is built on Ericsson’s 20 years of compression heritage. The compression team has been instrumental in developments that helped trigger the transformation of the TV landscape and has been recognized with multiple Emmy awards – including one in 2008 for pioneering development and deployment of MPEG-4 AVC systems for high-definition television.