Major European operator takes Opera TV app platform
Opera Software and Switzerland’s leading telecom provider Swisscom today announced that the Opera TV Store application platform is set to land on Swisscom set-top boxes. It is the first European pay-TV operator to bring the Opera TV Store on board, as operators embrace over-the-top content to satisfy viewers’ hunger for on-demand services. The partnership also marks the Opera TV Store’s first fully customized and co-branded deployment.
“A retail-grade TV app platform, combined with a browser engine readily available for Android, were key criteria in our decision to bring the Opera TV Store on board,” says Dirk Wierzbitzki, Head of Convergent and Wireline Experience, Swisscom. “The addition of the Opera TV Store to our IPTV services empowers Swisscom to better compete with retail offerings.”
With HTML5, Opera Software was able to customize the look and feel of the Opera TV Store user interface to match Swisscom’s guidelines and branding, ensuring the Opera TV Store looks and behaves like an integrated part of Swisscom’s entertainment offering. The custom-made TV-app home screen makes it seamless for the viewer to enter a new entertainment area when exploring the device.
“Record numbers of subscribers are flocking to IPTV, and pay-TV operators are determined to secure for their viewers an application platform that is entertaining and engaging,” adds Aneesh Rajaram, Senior Vice-President for TV & Devices, Opera Software. “Swisscom is one of the first operators to realize that it cannot afford to wait much longer to enable these experiences, and we’re keen to help Swisscom achieve this vision. Swisscom leading the way for IPTV operators, with a new-generation platform that offers a great opportunity to deliver HTML5 services seamlessly.”
The Opera TV Store features hundreds of apps, running the entertainment gamut from video, games and music to social media, utilities and news. A selection of the most popular apps will be available on all new Swisscom set-top boxes from today.
About Swisscom
Swisscom is Switzerland’s leading telecom provider with its headquarters in Ittigen, close to the capital city, Berne. With over 20,000 employees it generated turnover of CHF 11.43 billion in 2013. Swisscom is one of the most sustainable companies in Switzerland and Europe.