Exclusive: Alcatel-Lucent, iCueTV, Integra5, Tellytopia Join itaas' istart ETV Developer Program

itaas, an Atlanta-based company that provides a range of development, integration and testing services for interactive TV, says it has added four new members to its istart Enhanced TV (ETV) Developer Program: Alcatel-Lucent, iCueTV, Integra5, a

nd Tellytopia, all of which are, of course, developing applications based on the US cable industry's ETV/EBIF standard. According to itaas, the istart ETV Developer Program provides members with tools, documentation, software upgrades and support for the TVWorks ETV platform (note: TVWorks is a joint venture between Comcast and Cox); and allows developers to leverage the company's application-

lifecycle expertise for assistance from initial concept and architecture design to development, testing and post-deployment support. In addition, the company says, its istart programs give members the ability to write applications to either  tru2way or ETV platforms; and include software development kits and support for Time Warner Cable's Mystro Digital Navigator (MDN) and OCAP Digital Navigator (ODN), as well as Scientific-Atlantic Resident Application (SARA)/PowerTV.

In this recorded episode of [itvt]'s talk radio show, "The TV of Tomorrow Show with Tracy Swedlow," itaas president and CEO, Vibha Rustagi, discusses the istart ETV Developer Program and itaas's other products and services; outlines the technological and market challenges facing ETV/EBIF and OCAP/tru2way developers; describes what she sees as itaas's differentiators in the interactive TV market; explains how she expects the interactive TV space to develop over the next 18 months or so; and much more.

To listen to the show, click here.