Amazon Web Services Selected by NOWO to Drive OTT Video Services
Leading Portuguese telecommunications provider launches unified headend with AWS Elemental video processing power for new OTT services
Seattle(17 Aug 2017)
Amazon Web Services today announced that Portugal-based telecommunications provider NOWO has selected video processing solutions from AWS Elemental to power a unified headend delivering digital cable and over-the-top (OTT) video services. NOWO launched its subscription-based OTT video service to customers in the Portuguese market this year with AWS Elemental Live, AWS Elemental Server and AWS Elemental Conductor software performing live and file-based video transcoding.
NOWO launched its OTT video service for the Portuguese market this year, debuting a package of 70 channels accessible through set-top boxes, on the web and via iOS and Android devices, with plans to add 30 channels later in the year. The new service incorporates a range of advanced features, including live streaming, video-on-demand (VOD), catch-up and start-over TV. Cloud PVR service will soon be offered as well.
“NOWO has quickly established a strong position in the Portuguese OTT market by delivering a rich and diverse array of content and an outstanding media experience for subscribers,” said John Nemeth, Vice President, EMEA, AWS Elemental. “We’re pleased to see AWS Elemental processing solutions playing such a critical part in enabling NOWO’s success in multiscreen video now and in the future.”
With an established cable offering, NOWO prioritized a software-based, unified headend approach that could combine cable and OTT video processing and delivery within an integrated, end-to-end workflow. Ana Maria Teixeira, chief technology officer at NOWO, said, “When we defined our OTT strategy, we insisted on a state-of-the-art viewing experience, backed by a resilient video workflow that assures outstanding quality of service without overburdening our staff. With AWS Elemental video processing software, our workflow is highly efficient to operate, while giving us the flexibility to continuously enhance our services and stay ahead of evolving standards, consumer preferences and device technologies.”
NOWO selected Androme high-end TV software developer and systems integrator VP Media Solutions to provision its new OTT infrastructure. In the NOWO workflow, AWS Elemental Live software encodes video signals from satellite and broadcast sources into multiple adaptive bitrate outputs across the 70 channels NOWO provides, with Elemental Conductor software managing the encoder deployment for system redundancy and uninterrupted service delivery. AWS Elemental Server software transcodes files to the NOWO vault, creating on-demand assets for delivery to TVs, computers and mobile devices. The AWS Elemental solutions easily integrate via REST APIs with the Androme Nebula platform, which serves as backend and frontend applications for NOWO’s linear and OTT services, as well as castLabs DRM solutions, which perform digital rights management.