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24i partnership with Verizon Media

The 24i Backstage and Smart OTT solutions enable Verizon Media Platform customers to launch profitable OTT businesses at lightspeed

By Kjeld Beijer, Product marketing & Partnership at 24i

We are excited to announce a new partnership with Verizon Media, which has selected our Smart OTT and Backstage solutions as part of the Verizon Media Platform for OTT and streaming services. Verizon Media discussed its selection of the 24i solutions in its blog on 18th November 2020.

As we all know, streaming is already a big business, and it’s growing fast. Digital TV Research estimates streaming to be a $167 billion market by 2025, more than double 2019 revenues. But as it grows in importance, it can grow in complexity, thanks to the requirement to support more devices and platforms than ever before.

At 24i, we recognized that this growth in complexity would become an issue, but we thought it wasn’t inevitable. We aimed to follow a ‘build once, deploy everywhere’ philosophy to remove this complexity. Our Backstage content management system now achieves this through enabling publishers to create apps for all additional target devices without writing a single line of code. Backstage eliminates the need for device-specific engineers, reducing the time to launch on new platforms and devices, a significant OPEX benefit. This new partnership means that Backstage enables media organisation customers of the Verizon Media Platform to easily build and manage OTT apps that provide engaging experiences across all the most popular OTT devices, and do it at lightspeed.

We are flattered that in its blog Verizon describes Backstage as, “the SaaS hub of the OTT experience,” but our involvement doesn’t end there. Verizon has also integrated 24i’s Smart OTT solution, which Verizon says is “taking the hassle out of delivering great user experiences.”

Smart OTT is a turnkey video application development platform that allows content owners and broadcasters to provide consumers with an intuitive and engaging user interface for enjoying live and on demand video content.

The advanced cross-screen development framework and modular architecture of our Smart OTT solution gives customers of Verizon Media total confidence in delivering:

Consistent user experience across all devicesFlexibility to easily expand and customize functionalityIntegration with the Verizon Media Platform as well as with other members of the Verizon Media extensions program, such as Cleeng, which handles authentication, user management and entitlements, etc. 

We’re very pleased that our Backstage and Smart OTT solutions have been selected by Verizon Media to provide critical functionality in its OTT and streaming platform. We are also looking forward to discussing very soon how the first Verizon Media Platform customers are using our solutions to win in the face of increased complexity and today’s hyper-competitive streaming market. Together, Verizon Media and 24i enable consumers to access exciting OTT apps and services to meet their passion for OTT entertainment. And, we do it whatever device they’re using and wherever they happen to be.

Also join the webinar OTT: Integration. Optimization. Monetization. on Dec 8 with all involved partners and learn how to get to market quickly with a premium OTT solution.

24i and Amino Provide Turbo Boost to Android TV

Android TV Operator Tier is the fastest growing development environment for modern TV experiences through content aggregation and integrating apps through the Google Play Store24i and Amino have a full suite of solutions that are pre-integrated and approved to quickly enable operators and broadcasters to launch modern TV services, including the premimium video services Amazon Prime, Chromecast, Disney+, Netflix (Amino is currently the only Netflix Hailstorm Partner outside APAC) and YouTube24i and Amino solutions are market ready and already power Youfone’s launch of the first Android TV service in The Netherlands

Cambridge and Amsterdam, 27th October 2020 –  Amino, and sister-company 24i, today announced that its combined product portfolio provides operators and broadcasters with the optimal route to launching services on Android TV Operator Tier.

Android TV enables operators to update services that keep consumers in their environment by integrating streaming apps, update the UI and brand the UX. The appeal of the platform is growing quickly, with Google reporting that for 2019, it was working with more than 140 operators in over 60 markets – up from just 8 operators in 2016.

Although Android TV gets operators a long way down the road to launching a modern advanced TV service, it isn’t designed to take them the whole way. Amino and 24i have a number of solutions that work with Android TV to deliver all the features operators need to succeed in today’s market.

“The combination of 24i and Amino software and devices enables us to turbo boost Android TV, providing the layers on top of Android TV Operator Tier. This gives operators the ability to launch modern TV experiences and take advantage of the Google Play Store video apps, including YouTube, while still owning the consumers UI and UX,” said Donald McGarva, CEO, Amino. “We have pre-loaded premium OTT services such as Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Netflix, so that operators can expand their TV offering – a huge advantage! Where OTT apps have not yet been added to the Google Play Store, the Chromecast integration means consumers can easily cast from their mobile devices to the Android STB.”

Amino’s unique value lies in its IPTV heritage. Amino brings its knowledge of operator delivery infrastructures, government regulations and content protection platforms to manage the certification of a device platform that incorporates the necessary delivery protocols, players, tuners and more. It is these sometimes complex combinations of technologies that present the greatest challenge for operators launching Android TV. Amino has the proven expertise to bring Android TV to life for pay TV providers.

The first company to take advantage of the turbo boost provided by 24i and Amino was Youfone. Its TV service was initially launched in 2017 and required modernising. Youfone tapped 24i and Amino in December 2019 to deliver an expanded TV and OTT offering. Powered by the 24i Video Experience Platform, Amigo 7X Android set-top boxes, and Amino OS, the 24i and Amino Android TV solution enabled Youfone to launch an exciting modern next-generation TV service - and do it quickly.

Discussing the speed of the deployment, Valentijn Rensing, CEO of Youfone said: “The unique power, flexibility and breadth of the integrated 24i and Amino solution meant that Youfone launched the Netherland’s first Android TV service in just 5 months, rather than embarking on a major engineering project of a year or more if we had followed another path.” 

“Traditionally, launching an advanced modern converged OTT, VoD and Live TV service would take a year or more and would be technically demanding. Before the combination of Android TV and our turbo boosting solutions, operators were faced with the choice between over-engineered single vendor systems, smaller single-vendor solutions with gaps in functionality, or the complications and delays associated in dealing with multiple vendors,” said Donald McGarva, Amino Group Chief Executive Officer. 

“Getting Youfone up and running with the Netherland’s first major Android TV service so quickly proves that our turbo boosting of Android TV is an exciting solution for operators in today’s multiscreen market conditions,” concluded McGarva. 

The 24i and Amino solutions that provide a turbo boost to Android TV Operator Tier, include:

24i Video Experience Platform: a smart and cost-effective SaaS platform that, for the first time, productizes all the services required for the convergence of Pay-TV, IPTV, and OTT streaming services. VEP has been designed to accelerate time-to-market while delivering the essential flexibility and functionality required for the creation of next-generation video services.

AminoOS: built on over 20 years of focused IP entertainment delivery excellence, Amino OS is device middleware that supports Android TV devices and has integrations to a broad and deep industry ecosystem.

Amino Amigo 7X devices: Android TV Operator Tier certified Ultra-HD client TV device, with tuner options, delivering exciting OTT content with an exceptional user experience.

AminoSM Engage: cloud-based service management solution providing a suite of management tools that efficiently manage and proactively support deployed Android TV devices and apps to improve quality of service and experience.

Day 4: Episode 8 – IBC On Location with 24i

24i Gets A New Look

In the last episode of our IBC On Location series, Florian Laroye, 24i's VP Design shares the journey the 24i brand is taking and the design principles that he and 24i Brand Designer, Katya Rassadina, are using to guide them along the way. 

Florian Laroye, VP Design at 24i

While 24i has developed enormously during its 11-year history, however, our brand has only had one update in all that time. About a year ago we decided it was time to apply the same creativity and innovation we bring to our industry to our own brand and give it a serious refresh.  

To do this Katya and I have followed a few key principles:

Firstly, we removed the slash from the 24i logo to simplify it to the extreme. The numbers 24 and the letter 'i'  are enough and say it all: 24i = 24 Innovation. 

Secondly, we replaced our letter fonts with modern alternatives. This helps us stand out in an ecosystem where companies are mostly fairly conservative in their branding. 

The third principle is the introduction of two, new, primary colors - Crimson (pink?) and Peacock. Crimson evolves us from our previous dark red color pallet, brightening up our brand and representing our passion for what we do. Peacock represents 24i's professionalism and offers a darker more stable complement to the bright and fiery Crimson color.

We have already rolled out our new branding across our social channels, marketing campaigns, and materials and we look forward to it taking centerstage in our new 24i website which is coming soon. 

Book a meeting with Florian to find out how to refresh your video brand Watch every day of IBC On Location on our blog, Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube

Day 4: Episode 7 – IBC On Location with 24i

Streaming Is Better Together!

On our last day On Location at IBC, Kjeld Beijer, 24i's Partnerships Manager takes the opportunity to catch up with Unified Streaming's Rochelle Morrison and Anne Zant down by the Amsterdam waterfront.

Meet Unified Streaming, a key partner within the 24i Smart Ecosystem

From providing streaming solutions in the cloud or on-premise, Unified Streaming is a key partner within 24i's Smart Ecosystem and prides itself on enabling video service providers with encoding and real-time packaging to reach any device.

When talking to Kjeld on the effects the pandemic has had on the TV and video industry, Rochelle and Anne both cite examples of how some companies, including a few sports brands, are getting creative on how they produce live events while keeping within the new restrictions, and how others are offering new SVOD and AVOD content packages to entertainment-hungry audiences around the world. 

Finally, Anne shares a tip on how to stay cool when you come to Amsterdam next time! 

Learn more about partnering with 24i Tune in every day to IBC On Location on our blog, Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube