Spark New Zealand selects OTT platform provider, Xstream

COPENHAGEN, Denmark and AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Aug. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Spark New Zealand (formerly Telecom NZ), a New Zealand- wide communications and internet service provider, has selected Xstream's award winning professional video management platform, Xstream MediaMaker™, for delivery of their new OTT video service, Lightbox - aiming at offering the best service internet TV service in New Zealand. 

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Lightbox is the new OTT video services by Spark New Zealand. At launch the service will be available as a subscription based video on demand service (SVOD) with more than 5000 hours of insanely good TV available to all New Zealanders. The service can be used across multiple devices, including laptop, desktop, iPad and Airplay on Apple TV. With Xstream MediaMaker™ and a set of RestFul API's, Xstream has had a leading role in creating the OTT service.

"Xstream comes with a proven technical strength, an impressive track record of managing high-end, customized OTT and TV Everywhere services and a software that truly sets the company apart from others, enabling us to take our service to the next level today and tomorrow," said Mike McMahon, CTO at Spark New Zealand's OTT service, Lightbox. "Xstream has met all our rigorous demands for high-quality and flexibility. Their cloud based video management system, Xstream MediaMaker™, is one of the most complete and flexible OTT platforms we've seen in the market, including everything one need to create and manage a complete OTT solution."

"We're thrilled to be working with one of the worlds most innovative Telcos on creating and deploying their OTT solution," said Frank Thorup, CEO at Xstream. "Xstream MediaMaker™ is designed to work in parallel with legacy TV systems, leveraging existing infrastructure investments while, at the same time, be flexible to integrate with any other third party solution and to enable customers to deploy complete end-to-end OTT solutions like Lightbox."  

Some core features in the OTT solution powered by Xstream MediaMaker™ includes advanced voucher integration and functionality, advanced parental control where the entire frontend has a dimension that's controlled by parental guidelines enabling parents to filter out content playback according to rating. Xstream MediaMaker™ also provides an easy and transparent workflow management for content ingest including a OTT loading dock service with screener application, which is integrated with Gracenote and Technicolor, assets management, automated and scheduled publishing across devices, subscriber management, Shop and Payment module enabling Lightbox to create and manage multiple business models. The in built device management allows Lightbox to set up rules on number of devices registered to each Lightbox account as well as control concurrent streams, a service that enables Lightbox customers to use one account to watch different content on different devices.

"We're delighted to partner up with a company like Xstream who truly understands the complicated OTT/TV Everywhere ecosystem," said Simon Hoegsbro. "Xstream offers more than just an online video platform/video CMS, they offer a cloud based platform with a wide palette of capabilities and features that we see as cost-effective and flexible. Importantly, Xstream MediaMaker™ is proven and future-proof, enabling us to build a platform we can grow and develop with as we move forward in a rapidly evolving market place. We need to stay ahead of the game and are relying on Xstream to help us do exactly that."

Other partners involved and integrated into Xstream MediaMaker™ for the Lightbox service include IPPayments, Mandril for e-mails, Amazon for hosting, Akamai for CDN, Gracenote and Technicolor and Accedo for frontend apps.

Meet Xstream at IBC
Xstream will be present at IBC and welcomes visitors to drop by their stands #14.F15 and get a demo of the video management system, Xstream MediaMaker™, the engine behind services like Lightbox.

At IBC, Xstream and Lightbox will have a presentation, showcasing the solution and where you'll get answers to why, how, what questions. The presentation takes place on Sunday September 14th at 2:00pm in Hall 3, stand 3.A19

About Lightbox
Lightbox is a New Zealand-made subscription video on demand service (SVOD) that gives you the freedom to choose from thousands of hours of great TV shows, all ready to watch when you are, with no ads to interrupt. With award-winning drama and crime shows, popular comedy and sci-fi series, and an impressive line-up of kids' programmes, Lightbox has something for the entire family to enjoy. The service can be used by anyone with a broadband connection and is compatible with desktop PCs, laptops, iPads and on Apple TV with Airplay. The first 30 days are free, so new subscribers can try out Lightbox. After that, it's only $15 per 30 days for all you can eat TV. There are no contracts, no set-top boxes required and no installation costs – it's TV, online, anytime.  See www.lightbox.co.nz for more details. #LightboxNZ.

About Xstream (www.xstream.net)
Xstream has been a pioneer in OTT and TV Everywhere since 1999. Drawing on their extensive experience, Xstream works with world-leading Telco's, cable operators and MSOs. Xstream deliver simpler, smarter OTT TV solutions characterized by superior flexibility, usability, scalability and cost-efficiency. Xstream's comprehensive and scalable online end-to-end video management solution, Xstream MediaMaker™, offers numerous key modules such as Shop and Payment module, domain control, assets management and analytics. Xstream also offer a suite of outstanding individual services, including: Apps for Connected devices, Ingest, DRM, Transcoding and Encoding.

Xstream works with a wide range of customers like Fuhu/ nabi tablet, Pathe, Canal Digital, SBS Belgium, SBS Discovery, Telenor & Altibox.

Xstream is headquartered from Copenhagen, Denmark and has offices in Los Angeles, Melbourne, Warsaw and Sydney.

SOURCE Xstream