GlobeCast and France 24 announced are to launch a Hybrid Broadband Broadcast Television (HbbTV) trial in early 2012, with the support of Orange and SES.
The service – to be offered to satellite viewers of France 24, initially in Western Europe – will add interactivity to satellite TV programming. Participating satellite TV viewers will be able to use their televisions to interact with France 24’s linear and nonlinear programming via a broadband connection. No additional equipment or hardware will be required.
The exercise is designed demonstrate HbbTV’s ability to enhance the quality of DTH viewing . It will also provide an insight into how broadcasters can combine the power and reliability of traditional broadcast delivery with the possibilities opened up by the latest technical solutions available to ISPs.
GlobeCast will use its broadcast experience and knowledge of connected television to lead the trial, and will also provide ground services and uplink from its Paris technical operations centre. The satellite feed will be delivered via one of the Astra satellites at 19.2°E – SES’ leading orbital position in Western Europe.
As a leading Internet Service Provider, Orange will enable content providers to use emerging technologies to offer enhanced quality of service to the viewer. This service will be developed within the framework of its strategic Smart Networks programme.
‘France 24 is present on five continents, reaching tens of millions of households around the world in three different languages.,’ says Frank Melloul, Head of Strategy, Development & Public Affairs at France 24. ‘With this project, we’ve taken a step towards ensuring that all of these viewers have the same ability to interact with our programming.’
‘We’re now finally seeing the convergence of broadcast and the internet,’ adds Philippe Rouxel, Chief Marketing Officer of GlobeCast. ‘As a next-generation provider of broadcast services, GlobeCast will remain at the forefront of this movement. In this new “connected” world, we are helping our broadcast clients offer an interactive, high-quality experience to their viewers worldwide, regardless of delivery method.’
‘We have already seen the successful roll-out of HbbTV in European markets such as Germany, and look forward to the launch of this exciting new service from France,’ says Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer of SES. ‘HbbTV is just another example of how satellite technology will continue to provide an enriching experience for viewers around the world.’
HbbTV is an industry-standard providing an open and business-neutral technology platform that combines TV services delivered via broadcast with services delivered via broadband, and also enables access to Internet only services for consumers using connected TVs and set-top boxes.
More: www.france24.com
More: www.globecast.com
