Belgacom takes new steps in expanding IPTV services

Belgacom has agreed to work with Blinkx, a video search engine. Belgacom announced earlier, in September, that it's working with the companies Jinni (recommendations engine) and In3Depth (gesture-based control, similar to Kinect from Microsoft), in which it also took small stakes. Belgacom was also the first customer for the new Ubiquity Multiscreen TV Platform from Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN is looking for new shareholders - something for Belgacom?). Furthermore, Belgacom is busy with the introduction of place and device shifting: watching TV and VoD on the computer and using the computer or handset to control the DVR.

All together the image is one of an IPTV pioneer, with already 920,000 customers, which is expanding its offering with innovative services. Looking at the deal with Blinkx, which is exclusive for Belgium and Luxembourg, it's notably for Belgacom's entertainment platform, and apparently not the 35 million hours of online content indexed by Blinkx.

Conclusion: Belgacom is working hard to open up all the available content on any given screen (TV, computer, smartphone). So far, it's not really there yet: for content, it only has broadcast and VoD, and web and personal content are still missing. Belgacom is a NSN customers and with the new Ubiquity Multiscreen TV Platform these new sources can be added to the offering. KPN is also headed in this direction (see our commentary 'Is KPN planning its own version of UPC's Horizon box?'). At the moment, the question is still when will NSN have its platform ready. Progress in the coming months may (and must) be expected.


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