Amid heated competition among vendors, MobiTV claims to be making progress with a new platform that enables small and independent cable operators to develop and launch next-generation pay TV services powered by apps that run on a wide range of streaming platforms.
MobiTV, which is targeting the opportunity with its Connect platform and grappling in the market with companies such as TiVo and Evolution Digital, has more than 20 operators signed on, with talks already underway with another group of at least that size, according to chairman and CEO Charlie Nooney.
The most recent deployment is with Citizens Fiber, an independent service provider in western Pennsylvania. It has teamed with MobiTV to introduce a new app-based pay TV option that’s supported on mobile and TV-connected devices, including Amazon Fire TV streaming sticks.
That deployment also stems from MobiTV’s new commercial agreement with the National Cable Television Cooperative. MobiTV also has work underway with NCTC members such as Hickory Telephone, DirectLink and USA Communications.
Citizens Fiber will initially test the platform with a select group of beta users before deploying it more widely this spring.
Citizens Fiber, which serves about 3,500 subs in Westmoreland County, Pa, is pushing forward with the new app-based pay TV service, using it initially as a supplement to legacy options that include managed IPTV using set-top boxes in partnership with Innovative Systems and an RF-based service that uses older tech from Motorola.
