VOD, IPTV and advanced advertising technology provider, SeaChange International, and SunTec, an India-based provider of billing solutions for the communications, media and entertainment industries, announced Monday that they are partnering to offer TV service providers globally automated provisioning of IPTV consumers and accounts in "near-real time," while supporting complex revenue-sharing business rules.
The companies say that their partnership has already resulted in the integration of SunTec's convergent billing solution, TBMS-T, with SeaChange's TV Navigator IPTV middleware for Smart Digivision's MyWay IPTV service. The latter--which aims to reach 3 million subscribers in its first five years--is available in 54 Indian cities on BSNL's and MTNL's broadband networks. "Integrating SunTec's convergent billing system with SeaChange's middleware opens a compelling opportunity to the IPTV service provider to roll out innovative services and programs for its consumers," Rajesh BL Narashimha, Suntec's VP and sales head for APAC and MEA, said in a prepared statement. "SunTec is happy to have a strategic association with SeaChange and I see this partnership complementing both the companies' growth in the emerging IPTV markets."
According to the companies, SunTec's TBMS-T solution interfaces in near-real time with SeaChange's "open" TV Navigator middleware, EPG, VOD systems and set-top box applications. The companies claim that the combo allows service providers to design innovative programs and to package programs and content in order to attract more usage. In addition, the companies say, TBMS-T supports service providers with complex revenue sharing business rules and settlement with IPTV service carriers and content providers/aggregators. "IPTV operators require open solutions that allow flexibility to choose best-of-breed vendors and components," Lincoln Owens, SeaChange's director of broadband sales for the APAC region, said in a prepared statement. "Our TV Navigator middleware is rooted in this open approach, which has given way to beneficial alliances across markets. Our tie-up with SunTec has helped create one of the most promising IPTV efforts in Asia and we anticipate further success."
