Accenture Introduces Over-The-Top TV Solution

Helps video service providers deliver a unified customer experience across devices and platforms and gives consumers more choice and control in their digital homes

LAS VEGAS; April 12, 2010 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) today introduced a new set of capabilities to help communication, entertainment and retail companies address the growing consumer demand for “anytime” video services. The announcement was made at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show.
 
Referred to as Accenture’s solution for Over-The-Top TV (OTT TV), it provides a seamless consumer experience for accessing linear content through the broadcast network on a TV set, as well as non-linear services such as Catch-up TV and Video on Demand through a broadband IP network. It is also designed to allow the provider to extend content and the consumer experience to additional platforms including PCs, mobile, gaming consoles and connected TVs.
 
The Accenture solution for Over-The-Top TV is based on Accenture platforms, that enable service providers to launch new services quickly and economically while reducing the initial high costs of IT and infrastructure setup. It also minimizes the risk and complexity of managing multiple connections to third parties. Accenture’s solution is based on a pre-integrated platform, which helps providers dramatically reduce the time it takes to launch services.
 
“The Web has created a new generation of television and video consumers, with expectations about freedom and flexibility from which there really is no retreat,” said Francesco Venturini, global broadcast lead of Accenture’s Media & Entertainment industry group. “Our solution makes it possible to integrate the PC and TV onto one device to better manage consumer profiles, experiences, behaviors and services in a fully converged way.”
 
This Over-The-Top TV solution supports all of the most commonly-used set-top box and Internet-enabled TV industry standards, which enables a quick and easy deployment of interactive applications from a variety of equipment manufacturers. As a result, service providers can deploy a full range of advanced digital applications.
 
This higher consumer engagement directly benefits both service providers and advertisers. With Over-The-Top TV, service providers gain the ability to engage and interact directly with their customer base, and build deeper, more effective long-term relationships. Advertisers can
reach their viewing audience with the same accuracy found in web applications, which can help operators target audiences with innovative advertising mechanisms. And, by enabling interactive advertising, the solution also enables interactive advertising, allowing viewers to express their interest in a product shown on a TV commercial, via a “wish list” application that the user can access later through a web portal.
 
 “Service providers, like operators, can leverage this solution to reinforce their position in the evolving media ecosystem,” said Angelo Morelli, global lead for Accenture’s New Product Development and Innovation practice. “The solution enables them to build a strong wholesale offering for content owners, including assets such as a Content Delivery Network, and move up the value chain.”
 
Benefits include faster time-to-market, reduced capital expenditures
  • Reduced capital expenditures. Accenture’s network of global delivery centers can reduce the need for upfront investment in set top boxes, Internet-enabled TV, and gaming consoles by 20 to 30 percent. 
  • Reduced operating costs. Can save operators between 30 and 40 percent in operating costs, because there are no extra costs required for specific network operations, and operators can take advantage of embedded software applications already deployed.
  • Reduced churn cost. With open interfaces that make it easier to integrated third-party providers’ content and value-added services, operators can quickly and economically enhance their product portfolios for their customers, which can help reduce customer churn rates by as much as 10 percent. 
Services that Accenture Connected TV can enable include:
  • Broadcast TV with Video on Demand and interactive application, which enables viewers to see any movie or TV series episode they may have missed. The interactive application enables operators to gather real-time audience data.
  • Personal TV experience, which enables individual household viewers to create a personal profile, customize TV needs, create categories, and share contents with friends, schedule programming, and purchase and record content, over their PC or mobile phone.
  • Targeted personalized advertising, which enables providers to tailor advertising to each user, according to favorite content, most-viewed content, and community profile. Users can also choose to receive the advertising that meets their interests, which can help reduce “channel surfing.”
  • Interactive advertising which enables viewers to express their interest in a product shown on a TV commercial, via a “wish list” application that the user can access later through a web portal.
The OTT TV solution was created at the Accenture Innovation Center for Broadband in Rome, where a team of specialists design and deploy complex solutions for leading media organizations and service providers around the globe. The Center serves as a hub for the development of leading-edge broadband solutions based on Accenture’s experience and knowledge, functional and technical skills, assets, methodologies and delivery capabilities.
A demonstration of the OTT TV solution is available at Accenture’s NAB booth (SL6014) in Las Vegas, April 11 through April 15. 
 
More information on Accenture’s solution for Over-The-Top TV can be found at www.accenture.com/overthetopTV.
 
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 181,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$21.58 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2009. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

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Contacts:
Gary Morgenstern
Accenture
(O) 973 301-3347
(M) 973 486-2289
gary.a.morgenstern@accenture.com
 
Mike Pilarz
Burson-Marsteller
(O) 312 596-3568
(M) 773 458-0406
michael.pilarz@bm.com