By Modupe Gbadeyanka
SES S.A. today announced a collaborative agreement with Verizon aimed at driving the overall development of Ultra HD delivery solutions for Verizon Fios subscribers throughout the U.S.
Verizon is among a recent wave of multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) evaluating the SES satellite-based Ultra HD solution during milestone trials aimed at accelerating Ultra HD home delivery.
As part of the collaboration, Verizon will receive and test content from SES’s pre-packaged Ultra HD platform, which combines a growing lineup of Ultra HD channels and reception equipment in a cost-effective service delivered over scalable satellite capacity.
SES’s managed Ultra HD platform is delivered over dedicated satellite bandwidth, which provides a much higher quality viewer experience compared to current Internet-delivered 4K offerings, which can be susceptible to bottlenecks, buffering and network congestion. Home to nine linear Ultra HD channels, the platform provides the largest bouquet of Ultra HD programming available in North America.
“Verizon’s network is uniquely positioned to bring its customers the most innovative content solutions, including 4K/UHD.” said Erin McPherson, VP of Programming & Content Strategy. “We look forward to driving the technology and delivering premier video experiences through our collaboration with SES.”
“This collaborative agreement between SES and Verizon marks an important milestone in the development of our Ultra HD solution. Leading television services providers, such as Verizon, are evaluating our platform as a way to integrate scalable and dedicated satellite bandwidth into their Ultra HD launch plans,” explained Steve Corda, Vice President of Business Development for SES in North America. “With more than 4.5 million video subscribers, Verizon Fios represents an exciting addition to our overall effort aimed at making Ultra HD more affordable and faster to market for TV services providers across the region.”
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