Motorola has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Bitband, a provider of content management and delivery systems, specialising in video-on-demand for IPTV.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in Q4 2009. Bitband will be integrated into Motorola’s Home & Networks Mobility business.

Based in Netanya, Israel, Bitband is understood to have over 60 commercial IPTV deployments worldwide, including TELE2 (Holland), Fastweb (Italy), and Swyazinvest (Russia).

Motorola believes the acquisition will complement its existing on demand product line that includes the Adaptive Media Management framework for content management and streaming servers for centralised and edge-based on demand networks.

Irdeto, a provider of content and business model protection solutions and services, has announced an expanded relationship with Al Jazeera Sport, part of the Al Jazeera Network and a provider of sports TV services in the Middle East and North Africa.

Irdeto will now protect Al Jazeera Sport’s premium content across its entire digital TV network and as part of the agreement, will source more than 500,000 Irdeto Smart Cards.

The expanded agreement between Al Jazeera Sport and Irdeto aligns with a drive in the Gulf to protect content and curb sales of illegal TV set-top boxes that decrypt pay-TV channels.

Irdeto informed its solution provides Al Jazeera Sport with a scalable Conditional Access System (CAS) featuring protection against the theft of content over their networks — including pay-per-view (PPV) and video-on-demand (VOD).

Harmonic has announced that Altibox (formerly Lyse Tele), a telecommunications service provider based in Norway, has deployed Harmonic’s StreamLiner video servers, Armada ‘intelligent asset management’, and ProStream 8000 digital mosaic solution.

The company informed the deployment will enable advanced IPTV video-on-demand (VOD) services and multi-channel mosaic viewing for Altibox subscribers across Norway and Denmark. Altibox is initially introducing this IPTV offering for Norwegian Elite Series football programming with plans to expand to additional sporting events in the future.

With this deployment, subscribers can watch a live football match and switch to on-demand viewing of important events in other matches using Altibox’s intuitive Electronic Program Guide (EPG).

In addition, the ProStream 8000 digital video mosaic solution generates the multi-channel mosaics that allow the subscriber to watch up to eight simultaneous football matches on a mosaic grid or in full-screen mode, and interactively link to the VOD content to follow highlights from all matches.

Ericsson and Tandberg Television, part of the Ericsson Group, are set to launch a host of advanced solutions that will offer consumers the latest in video-on-demand (VOD) technology, including the option to move their viewing experience across various screens.

The solutions will be demonstrated and launched at the 2009 International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Ericsson has revealed the new products and demonstrations at IBC will include:

a) Device-aware back-office system for multiplatform TV: The OpenStream Digital Services Platform allows consumers to experience their VOD services on PCs, TVs and mobile devices, shifting the services between each screen. The system can also support VOD deployments with both MPEG 4 AVC-capable set-top boxes and legacy MPEG 2 set-top boxes.

b) VOD for digital terrestrial and satellite TV platforms: Any multichannel TV operator can now offer consumers on-demand services via a progressive download to their set-top box or direct to the TV.

c) VOD without a set-top box: A new VOD solution, based on CI+ or Open IPTV Forum standards, enables service operators to deliver on-demand services such as network-based time-shift services and targeted advertisements directly to the TV without a set-top box.

d) One-way VOD opens the door for on-demand services to all cable set-top boxes: The system is designed for cable operators who either have a one-way hybrid fibre-coaxial cable (HFC) network or have deployed one-way set-top boxes.

Ericsson has informed that it is enabling Sweden’s cable television operator, Com Hem, to deliver advanced entertainment services to its consumers via an interactive TV platform.

The on-demand TV platform supports a range of advanced services, such as video-on-demand, catch-up and start-over TV programmes and music on-demand, and also includes a flexible interactive portal for Com Hem’s new Landlord-Tenant service. The rollout of the new services has started.

As prime integrator, Ericsson is designing, integrating and delivering the TV platform, which includes hardware and software solutions from Tandberg Television, part of the Ericsson group. The platform includes the OpenStream Digital Services Platform, Xport Producer and EQ8096, as well as products from a number of third-party vendors.

Ericsson hs signed a deal with operator Ucom to bring interactive TV to viewers in Armenia. Ericsson informed that it will deliver its IPTV solution including GPON technology.

IPTV allows viewers to experience the same type of interactivity on their televisions as they are used to on their PCs, with personalised features such as chat, e-voting, web TV and access to social media networks.

Ericsson noted that the IPTV solution for Ucom will also give viewers access to a flexible, customised portal that offers a range of broadcast channels, video-on-demand, an electronic programme guide and personal video-recording capabilities.

The IPTV services will be delivered via a fibre-access technology, known as Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON), supplied by Ericsson.

GPON allows the consumer to watch several HDTV channels, download large files from the internet and place voice calls simultaneously without service disruptions, the company explained.

Rollout will start in July 2009.

Alcatel-Lucent has been chosen by SK Broadband (formerly known as Hanaro Telecom), a service provider in Souh Korea, to supply and maintain its IP service routing solution to support the operator’s real time IPTV service.

Alcatel-Lucent said its IP/MPLS technology will enable SK Broadband to deliver advanced broadband services including real time IPTV services, high-definition television, video-on-demand, voice over IP and high-speed internet access, all with superior service quality. 

The company will supply a flexible IP/MPLS infrastructure, providing scalability, bandwidth on demand as well as increased service level guarantees. It will supply its 7750 Service Router (SR) in the core and aggregation levels of the network.

Bolstering the recently announced 2009 Bravia LCD HDTV line-up, Sony Electronics has announced a series of additional networked models with full HD 1920 x 1080 progressive (1080p) resolution.

The company has informed this new W-series adds an economic HDTV option, while delivering the same interactive functionality as the recently announced Bravia Z5100 and XBR9 models.

The networked models feature an Ethernet connection so the sets can directly access Sony Bravia Internet Video content using an existing broadband connection.

The service offers a selection of free and premium movies, TV shows, sports, music and more from an array of partners like Amazon Video On Demand, YouTube, Yahoo, Sony Pictures, Sony Music and many others.

The 52-inch KDL-52W5100, 46-inch KDL-46W5100 and 40-inch KDL-40W5100 (diagonal) models feature Motionflow 120Hz technology for improved sharpness and detail in fast-moving images. They also feature Sony’s Bravia Engine 3, for clearer pictures.

The W-series models are Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) compliant, enabling easy access to digital photos, music and video stored on a PC or other DLNA server using the XMB interface and the TV’s remote control, the company added. They also offer a USB input for displaying digital photos or playing digital video and audio files from compatible USB storage devices.

Alcatel-Lucent has announced that Compania Dominicana de Telefonos (Codetel), a telecommunications operator in the Dominican Republic, has launched a nationwide IPTV offering, aimed at providing subscribers across the country with ‘high-quality’ TV programming, video-on-demand and other multimedia content services. Improved features include picture in picture, karaoke entertainment and digital video recording.

The IPTV service – supported by Alcatel-Lucent’s end-to-end IPTV solution, including the Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV and multimedia software platform – complements Codetel’s existing voice and broadband internet access service, enabling the operator to offer a ‘triple play’ package in the Caribbean.