ZON Selects ARRIS APEX3000 for Smooth Transition to CCAP and VOD Service Efficiencies

AMSTERDAM, Sept. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IBC 2013 -- ZON, one of Portugal's premier providers of Internet and TV services, has chosen the APEX3000 by ARRIS Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRS) to address growing demand for new services like video on demand (VOD) and nDVR.

The APEX3000's market-leading channel density allows ZON to increase operational efficiencies for its Timewarp VOD service as well as its transition to CCAP, at the same time as providing scalability for future services.

The deployment, facilitated by ARRIS partner SatCab*, follows a period of significant growth for ZON, which has seen an exponential rise in the popularity of its catch-up service over the past year. The service requires multiple QAMs to support the rise in unicast traffic, and with concurrency rates more than quadrupling since launch, the APEX3000 represents a more efficient way to handle increased demand.

Jose Pascoal, head of engineering at ZON said, "Our customers have a real appetite for non linear TV services that allow them to consume their favorite content on their own terms. Our 7 days catch up service, in particular, has been very well received and has helped us to reduce churn and increase 'stickiness', but its success has made us rethink how we can deliver it economically. By consolidating the video and data service over APEX3000, we've been able to merge traffic in an agile and flexible way - increasing network capacity for future growth."

Timewarp – Opportunity in the Cloud
The increased interest in ZON's 7 days catch up service reflects a growing need for cloud-based solutions that can aptly deliver content across the new multiscreen ecosystem. The fourth annual ARRIS Media Engagement Barometer shows that DVR behavior is irrevocably shifting consumption habits. Now, almost a third of all viewed content is recorded, but frustrations with disk space are rife. According to the study, 68 percent of consumers, globally, have had to delete content because they have run out of storage room on their device with over three quarters stating that this has caused frustration in their house.

Steve McCaffery, Senior Vice President, EMEA, ARRIS said: "The beauty of the APEX3000 Universal Edge QAM is that it connects legacy architectures with a new converged platform, transforming networks for tomorrow's entertainment experiences.  By doing this, we can help reduce upgrade expenses and support the scale of narrowcast video capacity that cable providers need. This QAM model offers investment protection around converged video and data delivery."

APEX 3000 – Density to Meet Demand
The APEX3000 directly addresses these growth trends with market-leading density that provides more channels in the same space. The APEX3000 is designed not only to meet growing demand for narrowcast video, but also to serve as a bridge product for future rollouts of a Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP), perfect for those operators following a modular CMTS architectural transition to CCAP rather than an integrated CCAP approach also supported by ARRIS.

The APEX3000 was built with capacity in mind; the installation of a high-density QAM within a cable network leaves channels left over for future DOCSIS® data use. Cable operators, like ZON, face overwhelming demand for more narrowcast channels to support growing VOD libraries and network DVR trials. Whilst many are not ready to migrate to CCAP right now, the need for a product that can increase channel capacity now whilst allowing full transition to CCAP later has never been greater.

Click here for more information on the ARRIS APEX3000

About ZON
ZON TVCabo is the leader of the Portuguese Pay TV market and one of the largest European operators. With around 1.6 million customers, it is also the largest Triple Play operator (TV, Broadband Internet and Fixed Telephony) in Portugal. ZON TVCabo operates the largest national Next Generation Network, reaching over three million homes. It´s also the second largest internet and fixed voice provider with 805,000 and 989,000 customers, respectively, at the end of the second quarter of 2013 and the only operator growing in the fixed voice market. Its digital satellite platform has nationwide coverage.

ZON TVCabo is a subsidiary of ZON OPTIMUS SGPS, which is listed on the PSI-20, the main Portuguese stock index.

About ARRIS
ARRIS is a premier video and broadband technology company that transforms how service providers worldwide deliver entertainment and communications without boundaries. Its powerful end-to-end platforms enable service and content providers to improve the way people connect – with each other and with their favorite content. The Company's vision and expertise continue to drive the industry's innovations, as they have for more than 60 years. Headquartered north of Atlanta, in Suwanee, Georgia, ARRIS has R&D, sales and support centers throughout the world. For more information: www.arrisi.com

* Facilitated under the Motorola Home Channel Partner Program

ARRIS and the ARRIS Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of ARRIS Enterprises, Inc.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.  © ARRIS Enterprises, Inc. 2013.  All rights reserved.

SOURCE ARRIS Group, Inc.