Telus Launches New Microsoft Mediaroom-Powered Version of its Telus TV IPTV Service

Submitted by tracyswedlow on February 3, 2010 - 2:07am

Canadian telco, Telus, has launched a new version of its Telus TV service in Western Canada that is based on the Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV platform. The company says that the service is initially available in and around Edmonton and in 40 or so communities in British Columbia and Alberta, and will be expanded over time. Customers of Telus's earlier implementation of Telus TV, which is powered by Minerva Networks' IPTV platform, will have the opportunity to upgrade over the coming months, the company says. "We're excited that Telus has chosen Microsoft Mediaroom as the platform for their next-generation Telus TV service," Andreas Mueller-Schubert, general manager of Microsoft's TV and Video Platforms Business, said in a prepared statement. "With this new service, Telus is poised to deliver dramatic enhancements to the TV viewing experience, making it easy for their customers to discover and enjoy more movies or TV shows they will love, when and where they want to watch."

Key features of the new version of Telus TV, according to Telus, include:

PVR Anywhere, which lets users record a show or an entire series on any connected TV and watch it on any other connected TV in any room in the house. "One PVR is all the client needs," Telus says. "They record and play back shows on any TV in their home with a digital box."
The ability to record up to three shows simultaneously from any room.
The ability to pause a recorded program in one room and pick it up from the same point in a different room.
115 hours of HD or 295 hours of SD recording capacity.
The ability to connected the service on up to six TV's in the home, with multiple HD streams.
Instant channel changing.
Improved search capability, including the ability to search by actor, director, title or sporting event, both for immediate viewing and recording.
The ability to access HD programming on all TV sets with a digital box.
Picture-in-picture surfing.
The ability to set series recordings. According to Telus, Telus TV will "conveniently organize and manage" these recordings.