WOW! (NYSE:WOW) plans to use Espial's (TSX:ESP) cloud-based Elevate video platform to power its WOW! ULTRA set top box offering.
The Elevate platform is a TV as a Service (TVaaS) solution, including cloud tools for operations, product, marketing, and engineering teams. Elevate is intended to let service providers deploy IPTV, OTT and cable services quickly, with low deployment risk, and with predictable costs.
Matt James, Espial's VP North America sales, said: "We are excited that WOW! has chosen Elevate to continue their investment in improving their customers' experience. We are working to ensure that service providers of all sizes benefit from the scale and speed of innovation that are fundamental to the Elevate TVaaS platform. The video industry is highly competitive, and Elevate allows service providers like WOW! to give their customers the features and functionality they have come to expect, while getting to market quickly and with limited risk."
Elevate is a multi-tenant TVaaS video platform designed to let operators manage, deliver and monetize video. The platform includes a user interface with voice-based navigation, discovery, and viewing of traditional content and streaming services like Netflix and YouTube. It also includes analytics, promotions, segmentation and diagnostics.
WOW!'s service area footprint includes approximately 3 million homes and businesses passed in more than 300 communities. As of March 31, WOW! had 798,500 customers, more than 400,000 of them video subscribers.