ALTICAST TEAMS WITH VIDEOTRON FOR FIRST CANADIAN LAUNCH OF 4K UHD STB

Alticast today announced that its ongoing innovation partnership with Videotron is helping to achieve a milestone for the Canadian pay-TV industry – the first availability of 4K ultra high definition set-top box on a commercial basis throughout a cable system operator’s entire service footprint.

Videotron’s release of the illico 4K Ultra HD PVR has positioned the Quebec operator as a market leader in driving the key ingredients to ultra high definition success: UHD device penetration, the availability of UHD content with the superior color and consumer awareness of the value of the new technology.

Leveraging Alticast’s expertise in middleware and UI enablement, the illico 4K Ultra HD PVR allows delivery of high-value 4K content, while retaining features that are products of the close working relationship between Videotron and Alticast. These include multi-room PVR capabilities, interactive applications and seamless integration with Videotron’s state of the art back-office systems.

“The ability to combine the richness of 4K content with managed network Quality of Service will be a significant differentiator for pay-TV,” said John Carlucci, president and CTO, Alticast US. “By being the first operator in Canada to bring 4K STBs into subscribers’ homes, Videotron is continuing the leadership that sets it apart from competitors and enhances the value of service bundles.”

“The tremendous promise that 4K UHD holds for our customers can only be realized by true commitment on the part of the entire industry,” said Pierre Roy, Vice-President Engineering, Research and Development. “Alticast and our other technology partners have helped us to create the technical foundation that had already generated market enthusiasm and satisfy customer demand for UHD services.”

Alticast Partners With Videotron To Provide An Enhanced Multi-Room Experience

Videotron and Alticast continue their partnership to help advance Videotron’s successful 

illico TV service

BROOMFIELD, Colo. – December 1, 2014 – Alticast, a global partner for the delivery of media entertainment, today announced that it played a significant role in helping the Canadian cable television giant Videotron rollout its next generation of set-top boxes (STB) that enable its subscribers to simultaneously record up to eight different programs. 

Videotron’s new X8 multi-room HD PVR is the latest example of the company’s commitment to continually enhancing its advanced illico interactive TV service and to providing its more than 1.7 million subscribers with the latest live, on-demand and interactive services delivered to multiple devices in the home.

Alticast’s team of veteran engineers was responsible for developing much of the critical software for the X8’s multi-room PVR capabilities and interactive applications.  The development, integration and test teams worked closely with Videotron and its STB suppliers to ensure that the X8 performs flawlessly and seamlessly with Videotron’s back-office systems.

“Keeping our illico service at the cutting-edge of entertainment delivery is a strategic imperative, so we turned to Alticast to leverage their expertise in the industry to help us bring our new X8 set-top box to market quickly,” said Marie-Ginette Lepage, Vice President, Marketing-Content and Broadcasting.   “Offering our subscribers the very best multi-screen TV experience with continued innovation is our goal, and our new X8 set-top is one of the keys to ensuring that we meet this goal.”

“Videotron has a well-deserved reputation for excellence and with their new X8 set-top box it is clear that they are committed to keeping their illico interactive TV service on the leading edge of innovation,” said John Carlucci, CTO, Alticast US.  “This project not only demonstrates Videotron’s commitment to its subscribers, it demonstrates the capabilities of our engineers and their ability to solve operators’ most demanding software development needs.”